Sleeping Star
by Alumneia
Summary: When I died, I forgot everything. Temporarily. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Being sealed away for 15 years by your new family sucks. Being sent to an orphanage is even worse. On the plus side, at least I have Naruto for company. OC, self-insert.
1. Prologue

**Hi! This is my first story. This is an OC character based story. I've gotten a lot of inspiration from other OC centric stories in Naruto and thought I should try it out.** **Anyway, here is the first chapter. It may seem confusing at the beginning, but please bear with me. It'll get better later. Please review and tell me what you think!**

**Summary:**

**When I died, I forgot everything. Temporarily. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Being sealed away for 15 years by your new family sucks. Being sent to an orphanage is even worse. On the plus side, at least I have Naruto for company. OC, self-insert.  
**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing at all. Naruto is Kishimoto's. Let's just say I'm recreating an already created idea.**

* * *

"We are being attacked!" a red haired shinobi yelled throughout Uzushiogakure.

Somewhere farther into the village, a young mother cradled a week old child as she kissed her husband goodbye. Still recovering from birth she was not allowed to go into battle. She was worried, but not too much. The seal barrier that covered and protected the village was still up. Not only that, but Uzumakis were brutal when it came to protecting their home. They may have been only a quarter the size of any great shinobi village, but they were just as strong if not more so. Their sealing skills and chakra left them to be feared. So no, she was not worried.

An hour later the mother who previously was nursing her daughter was panicking while running towards the village leader's office. The seal barrier which had been protecting the village suddenly fell and all shinobi were sent out—all of them except her. Slamming the door open, she took in the exhausted face of her father as he gave out orders to several red headed ninja in the room. When they all had left he turned his head to his daughter and walked forward crushing her into a hug.

"Miu, I've just sent word to Konoha," he stated as he ran his hand through her hair. "This is worse than we've ever planned for."

"What's going on out there? Is Shiro okay? What happened to the barrier? Is—" Her words were cut off by sudden wailing from a baby in her arms. Alarmed, both the father and daughter separated their hug. "Oh Hoshi, I'm so sorry. Were we squishing you?" Miu cooed.

"Is this her?" the leader of the village gasped. His daughter nodded.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked.

He reached his arms out hesitantly before taking the child. By now it's crying had quieted and it was looking up at the man holding it with curious sapphire eyes. Suddenly the child reached up and tugged harshly at his white beard. A broad smile covered the elder man's face and he chuckled while unwrapping each of the hand's fingers until the baby let go.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" the mother asked.

"_She?!_" he exclaimed before lifting the blanket that covered the baby and peeking only to laugh boisterously. "I thought you both were expecting a boy! Well, now that I think about it, no boy could have such bright blue eyes."

* * *

Somewhere far away from battle, a young Minato Namikaze was sitting in the academy before a large sneeze overtook him. Sobering he murmured, "That came out of nowhere."

A nearby redhead laughed. "You know, they say you sneeze when someone is talking about you behind your back. Maybe it's one of your fangirls," she teased.

A flying chalkboard piece rammed into the middle of her forehead. "OW!"

"Kushina, I'd appreciate if you would keep your voice down. We are in the middle of class," an irritated Chunin said.

"…Yes sensei," she pouted.

* * *

"Kushina-chan is going to be very surprised to find out she is an aunt," he mused.

"Yup! Her dear old sister finally got _married_ and _settled down_. The news will probably give her a heart attack," his daughter joked. A sudden explosion shook the floor and they both turned to look outside the window with a grim expression.

"I'm just happy she isn't here now," he whispered before handing the baby girl back to her mother. Looking between the two, a choked sound escaped his throat and his shoulders shook. "I'm so sorry musume," he said.

"Otou-san? What's going on? Why are you—"

"Shiro didn't make it through the first wave of the attack."

She froze, nearly dropping the baby in the process, but thankfully Hoshi was taken again by the village leader. Tears pricked her eyes and she balled her fist before punching a nearby wall. "You're lying!" Miu screamed.

He shook his head dejected. "I wouldn't lie about something like this, you know that. He isn't the only one either. Half of us have already—we can't hold on much longer. Report from torture and interrogation I got a few minutes ago reported that Iwa and Kumo have somehow been convinced by Kiri that we were too much of a threat due to our sealing. All three villages have combined a joint attack. Once the barrier fell we haven't had any luck," he explained.

She let the tears roll down her face. "What about Konoha?"

"As I said, I've sent for them. Carrier bird won't reach them until tomorrow…by the way things are going, we won't be here to greet the cavalry," he said slowly so she heard every word.

More tears burst forth and she snatched Hoshi from his arms and cradled the baby to her chest. "What about Hoshi? She's only just started to live! I can't—won't let her die before starting life. I won't!"

"I know," his voice dropped. He turned and nodded towards to door to tell her to follow. Leaving the room, they headed to the end of the hall then went down several staircases until both were deep underground. They could still feel the trembling of the earth from explosions and fighting above. Finally, the three family members reached two large twin doors towering several feet above them. Biting his thumb, the father let it bleed onto the door frame until an intricate design glowed red. A loud click resonated the area when the red lines reached the doors' center. The doors flew open.

Walking inside, around the room were thousands upon thousands of scrolls, weapons, books, and other long lost things covered in dust. Looking up, the room went upwards several stories and at the top a shining red Uzumaki symbol illuminated the room. Once they reach the center of the library, the daughter couldn't stay silent anymore and asked in awe, "What is this place?"

"This is your heritage. Everything we ever have been is documented and placed here. All of our fuinjutsu to our weapons to our history are stored here. I even have a copy of every mission done stored. There are also many learning scrolls for ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. I'm sure I have a kenjutsu scroll somewhere but…eh. Can't remember. We are an old clan, but we like to preserve what we have. This room has been in a stasis seal created by our great ancestors to keep things from deteriorating. It's a little extreme, but I'll have to thank them when I reach the afterlife later today."

"Don't say that—"

"We'd like to think we are the best sealers there have ever been. It's true, but our ancestors will forever have us beaten," he said as he pulled out a large scroll from one of the nearby shelves. Its height was as tall as him and doubly as wide. He opened it gingerly and spread it across a large table placed in the center of the room. On it was layers upon layers of seal work that was still not completely shown as the scroll was not even close to being unrolled all the way. The part that was shown was covered in ink except for one particular spot. An empty white space in the shape of an oval was surrounded by the layers of seals. Taking a deep breath the village leader turned to his daughter.

"The bird that flew to Konoha was not the only messenger bird sent. Another was sent to Tsunade. She's a distant relative of ours through the Senju clan. I'm sure you remember her. She visited the village a few years ago on behalf of Konoha. Blonde hair in pony tails with a temper to match our own, remember?" he asked.

After a moment Miu nodded. "She left the village without paying her side of a bet with Uncle when she 'surprisingly' lost a drinking contest. She left an 'I owe you' note," she stated.

"Ah, yea, about that, I decided her 'I owe you' is due. I would send the letter to the Hokage to explain what I'm about to do, but without Uzumaki blood…and by extent Senju blood, he would be unable to do anything anyway. I'm sure I'm leaving Hoshi in good hands," he said calmly with his head lowered.

"Hoshi in good hands!? Otou-san, what is going on? What are you talking about and what is that huge seal for?" she questioned angrily.

"That seal…is the way your daughter and my granddaughter is going to live. Uzumaki Hoshi is to be the will of fire, as Konoha likes to put it. As long as she lives—her and Kushina-chan—the Uzumaki clan will live on.

I said before that this room is in an advanced stasis seal. Everything in here is not affected by time and is also under the heaviest barrier ever known in sealing history placed here by our founders themselves! When I first learned about this room, it was right before I became leader of the village. It is known to no one alive but you and me at this time seeing as your grandfather passed away years ago. So, I have little worry anyone will find it, let alone take the old barrier down. Originally our founders—I'd like to think they were paranoid people—created this seal," he pointed to the scroll on the table, "in case something along the lines of mass devastation happened to us in order for us keep our clan alive and continue on."

"Cut to the chase, Dad," Miu bit out. "What does this have to do with Hoshi?"

"Hoshi-chan is going to be placed there, on that seal, and I am going to activate it. When we leave this room and those doors seal closed, she will be frozen in the stasis seal with everything else in there. The next time the door opens by Tsunade's blood, everything in that room will be sealed into her for her to access later on. Through her, the Uzumaki clan and Uzushiogakure will live on. Our heritage won't be lost."

"WHAT!?" she screamed. At her outburst, Hoshi began crying loudly. Looking down at her, Miu lost all anger. She looked back up at her father sadly. "There's no way I can stay with her, is there?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head.

Smiling slightly she asked one last question. "She'll live on?"

"She'll live on," he confirmed.

Tears in her eyes she hugged the baby tightly and kissed her forehead. Whispering silently she chocked out, "I love you…I love you s-so much. P-p-promise me…to grow up strong and t-to do u-us proud. Good…goodbye, my little star."

With another kiss to the head and a quick squeeze, she handed the daughter tentatively to her father and said, "Do it."

With a quick nod, he set the baby on the white empty space of the seal and took the blanket away, folding and placing them on the floor nearby. Taking out a kunai, he slit his palm and let it bleed onto a section of the seal. Next he took his finger, dabbed it in his blood and drew a small Uzumaki spiral on the baby's back right shoulder blade. Finished, he himself kissed Hoshi's forehead as a final farewell and motioned for his daughter to leave the room with him.

Hoshi's wailing increased as the doors closed loudly. When the resounding click of the lock echoed and the seal flashed red one final time, the crying abruptly cut off. Miu fell to her knees bawling, finally unable to hold in her sadness any longer. She had just lost her husband, her village, and will never see her child again. Crouching down to his daughter, the village leader picked her up and walked back up the stairs.

"I'm going to miss…everything! I'll never hear her first word, or see her walk for the first time, or throw her first kunai, or make her first seal, or send her off on her first date, or see her wedding and my future grandkiddies," she rambled on.

"I'm sorry," he replied somberly.

"Set me down," she said. He obliged when they reached outside. The village was in rubble. Smoke was bellowing everywhere and buildings were collapsed. People were still fighting strong though and it gave the two hope, if only just a little.

"Well, as the Uzumaki saying goes: Don't give up until the very end! Let's show them what we're made of. If we're gonna die, we're going down kicking and screaming—preferably with a ton of ass kickin' in the process," she called out as she pulled chakra chains from her back and swung them around experimentally.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he bellowed.

They both disappeared into the clouds of dust, war battle cries and all.

However, neither of them knew that Tsunade wouldn't receive that letter for another 15 years.


	2. Chapter 1

I am a baby. I am a _baby. _Something was wrong with this picture, but I couldn't pinpoint what. Maybe it was the small chubby fingers that were now tugging on a beard. Maybe it was because I knew what a beard was, or what fingers were. Maybe it was that I was really hungry and found it oddly comfortable to suck on a boob. I don't know. But, what I do know is that it is _wrong. _But, how it was wrong? I had no idea. Not a speck or a clue. It just was.

I was feeling as if I should be a little taller, see a little better, and maybe be a little more coherent. I mean, what were these people saying? All I'm hearing is rapid fire sounds of blah. Was it so hard to speak English?!

Wait. What's English? Huh. It had something to do with speaking and talking…and speaking…and….I got nothing.

Anyway, it has been like this all week now (whatever a week is). I've been switching back and forth between confusion and understanding. When I feel as if I finally understand something, I question half of what I understood. Like earlier today, I thought this was all a crazy drug induced dream. Since then I haven't figured out what a drug induced dream is.

This was to say the least annoying on so many levels. I finally had an answer to all this but I don't understand what the answer is.

The second most annoying thing was being unable to see clearly. From what I've been able to tell, the world is just blobs of red. Oh, and yeah, I figured out what red was. After all, I see the color often enough. Now my question is: Why is it everywhere?! It was pretty at first, but now I need some variety. How about some blue or something. That would be nice if only I could figure out what blue is.

My other question would be why the red isn't completely red. I know what red is, but for some reason the blobs aren't quite red, even though they are. They have to be red. What else could they be? _Blue?_ Ha! I don't even know what blue is! My head brought up the ideas of it being reddish pink once and other time it said reddish purple. I'm trying to choose which one it is, but since I have no idea what pink or purple is, I'm stumped. I'm leaning towards purple because it sounds funnier. I'll decide on that later.

A feeling of weightlessness overwhelmed me and I cried out with my piercingly loud baby voice. I was caught by the only thing that wasn't red. It was lighter than red. In fact, it didn't look anything like red. Maybe that's what blue looks like...Nah.

Oh, we're moving again? Okay, fine by me. Just keep me near the non-red. I like the new color…what's a color? Argh! I'll figure it out later. All these thoughts are making my head hurt. Maybe for now I'm just going to stop thinking.

Yup.

.

.

.

Nope.

That didn't work. Let's try looking around. Okay so it's kind of getting darker. I can't see anymore, but I guess it's not like I could really see before. This is a new color. Diffidently not red, that's for sure. Kind of makes me sleepy.

I've decided it's not so bad being carried. I can't walk anyway and even if I could I'd probably just trip. Plus, this way I can just close my eyes and sleep. I dreamt of nonsensical things like unicorns, butterflies, rainbows, rainbow farting cats made out of pop tarts, zombies—_Zombies?!_

I screamed awake the same time the woman carrying me yelled something along the lines of, "Nani!"

Now, whatever I just imagined I didn't want to again. Nope, never ever ever. I don't even want to know what a zombie is. In fact, let's ignore I had that dream. Maybe this is what I meant earlier when I thought I was in a crazy drug induced dream? If that _thing _was supposed to be my answer to what was going on, I don't like it. Zombie=bad. Badbadbadbadbad.

Suddenly I was squished to death. I continued crying of course. That dream scared the shit out of me. Literally. Ugh. Downside to being a baby. Okay, I got to keep crying. People, notice the smell! Change my diaper! I don't like to be dirty.

Then I was abruptly smothered in kisses and water. Crying? Why are you—don't cry! It'll make me want to cry and…ah whatever. I'm already crying anyway. Seriously though, I'm sorry. I know my poop probably smells, but you don't need to cry over it. You never did before.

She blubbered words of some sort for a bit before kissing my head again.

This is…weird. And not the weird I'm used to. Something must be wrong. Actually, this is worse than wrong since everything is wrong. So that means something is _really_ wrong.

I was suddenly shoved into the non-red blob's arms before set on something relatively uncomfortable and cold. I cried of course. What else was I supposed to do?

I was lifted for a second and I felt something wet touch my back before I was set back down. Next thing I know, I'm getting a kiss from non-red. I really need a name for that color. White. White? Yup, white. It's white. Anyway, so white gave me a kiss and walked away. Looking around I couldn't find the red blob that took care of me.

Panicking I cried louder. I didn't want to have crap on my butt. Can't they tell I need a diaper change? It has to smell at least a bit. Why are they leaving?

A slam of a very loud door echoed and I screamed.

How dare they leave me?! The least they could have done was place me somewhere comfy.

Staring straight upwards I noticed a glowing swirl on the ceiling. It wasn't a blob, it was a swirl. I could see it, actually see it! I squealed happily, but then it flashed brightly and blinded me. And guess what color it was?

Red.

It was actually red, not reddish pink or reddish purple. Just red.

I hate red.

So everything turned black instead and it stayed that way for a long time.


	3. Chapter 2

**15 Years Later**

* * *

After the light went out, I held onto the only thing I could remember: the red swirl that was on the ceiling. I may have omitted the red and made it white in my head though. I was sick of seeing red. I'm also starting to tire of black. It's not that it's a bad color. I like it. It's dark and mysterious. What I don't like is that I can't see anything other than it. Being unable to see in anything but red blobs was annoying, but being unable to see anything at all is torment.

During this time of blackness, I've had time to sort my thoughts and figure everything out. That isn't to say I understood what was going on. That would be a big fat no. I just knew my ups from downs and sorted through every thought I could think of. Currently I knew all my colors among other things, even if I hadn't seen them before. My head supplied the image and from there I'd think, "Oh, so that's what it is."

I've also been dreaming a lot—mostly about this world of technology. I've been learning all sorts of things from the dreams like what a tree and car is and how neither should ever meet each other. If they do though, the result is a very painful death. I've had that dream the most. Other things I often dream about are blue teddy bears and zombies. I hate zombies.

There is a dream I recall that liked a lot though. It was about a boy with yellow hair. I can't remember much other than feeling really happy when seeing the boy grin. What was weird though was that everything I saw about him was inside a box. Later on I figured out he was a TV show. Still, that dream kept me happy for a while.

Keeping on that topic, a lot of my favorite dreams had something to do with what was playing on TV. There was one with a red headed mermaid. For some reason, I didn't hate her red hair as much as I thought I would. I expected it to be there and if it wasn't it would have been weird. Another TV dream was about a factory full of candy and midgets that sung. Another with a man made of red and gold iron that flew around shooting things with light rays. Another was about someone becoming Santa Clause. The list could keep going on.

My fondest dream was the one I had of a boy, much older than me. I could never see his face, it was blurred out, but I remember the name Bradly popped up a lot. We often watched the TV show about the blonde haired kid. I think that's why I liked those dreams the best.

Back to the matter at hand, from what I could tell, I had been dumped off without a diaper change in a black room. Not only could I not move at all, but I was bored. Oh so bored. I don't know how long I've been in here. I think my sense of time is off, but I swear it feels like a year had passed, maybe more (a lot more). I'd been passing time by gathering thoughts and dreaming, but I think I've officially thought of everything. I even counted the first hundred numbers of pi. It's 3.141592653 58979323846 26433832795028841 971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679 by the way. I have no idea how I know it or what it is other than it has to deal with math, but repeating it clears my head and passes time.

I tried to make mouthing noises or speak this English I kept thinking about. Of course, I wasn't able to because I couldn't move whatsoever, but that didn't mean I didn't try. I spent what felt like the first year trying to move. After that I switched to dreaming, then thinking about what I dreamt, and for the last year I've thought of killing zombies.

Yup, I've been thinking about killing zombies for the last year. I just don't like them. One time, after I had a dream about the creepy things, I thought, "Why couldn't they all just die?" Of course they were already dead, but I wanted them to die correctly. After that I just started thinking of ways to kill the already dead zombies. It is highly entertaining and I haven't run out of ways yet so it's keeping my mind occupied. My mental self is very proficient with a knife. She's also not bad with a bow, but I digress.

I was currently thinking of jabbing a knife through a zombie's throat when a sudden click was heard. I unfroze. I felt myself move, the loosening of muscle, and my mouth gaped. The blackness which I had become so familiar with was suddenly red with a glowing swirl, one I remembered from long ago. Another slam and loud footsteps were heard and I squealed with joy. YES! There was no more silence and there was a person coming towards me that would hopefully change my really old diaper.

Oh, and the person was a _yellow_ blob. Not red.

Best day ever.


	4. Chapter 3

I don't think I realized how much I hated the darkness until I got out of it. When the yellow blob lady picked me up and squished me between her ginormous boobs, all I could think was how I never wanted to be alone again. It was terrifying and suffocating. I think I actually went insane trying to pass time and think of things other than what was really going on in there.

The silence was what got me the most though. When she carried me outside and I heard birds chirping, I started wailing in relief. I didn't care who this chick was as long as she stayed with me. I could barely remember red blob and white blob as is anyway. I never even knew what they looked like and they both left me behind in that god awful place. Just from that, I liked yellow lady blob a lot more already. Oh, and she cleaned my butt off. Finally.

From here on my life got a little weirder. Yellow blob traveled a lot and I was almost always carried by her or her friend, the black blob. At first I didn't like black blob, but she grew on me. She was much quieter and spent more time with me than yellow blob. There was also another small blob about my size that black blob liked to carry. Whenever I was set with it, the voices would say the equivalent of, "Play with Tonton." And play I did. I would ramble on in baby talk with the pink blob for hours.

One day, about three weeks after yellow and black blob saved me, we were staying in a hotel room. Well, I figured it was a hotel room seeing as often as we travel. I was looking at a blue blob near me and realized I could see a patterned design. Leaning forward, I realized it was blankets and I could actually see them.

Happy at the revelation, I spun my head around and cried out towards where yellow blob sat in a chair. She came over and crouched near me saying something. I stared at her for a moment. It was difficult to focus at first and she had to be really close to me, but I could see her. Yellow blob was actually a blonde haired busty woman with brown eyes. I waved my arms in the universal up sign and she smiled lifting me quickly in the air before cradling me and walking back over to where she was sitting.

I just took in her features for a while. She wore her hair in pony tails and had a weird purple diamond on her forehead. Seeing it I lifted my arm up and poked it. The lady looked down at me with a glint in her eye before she set me on her lap to face her. Then she pointed a finger at me and moved it around slowly. Confused I just followed the finger around with my eyes before looking back up at her questionably. She grinned before cuddling me and calling out, "Shizune!"

The black blob came over and I focused on her face. Black blob was, you guessed it, a black haired woman. She was younger than the blonde lady, somewhere in her teens and I realized both of them seemed familiar. I waved the feeling away though. Of course they were familiar; I've been with them for weeks now.

The shocker for me was focusing on pink blob. For the longest time I thought I wasn't the only baby and that 'Tonton' was my brother or sister or something like that. Turns out Tonton is a pig—a very cute pig—but a pig. I had been talking, well blabbing, to a pig. The shock was too great for me and I started crying. This freaked both of them out of course and they started talking to me and eventually just set me down for bed.

From this point forward, I started listening to everything my caretakers said and did. I wanted to know what was going on and the only way to do that was to figure out what the heck they were saying. So, I was a relatively quiet baby. Catching onto the language wasn't too hard once I started paying attention.

I think they noticed I was listening too because they would often set me aside and talk to me slowly while pointing to stuff. The first thing I learned was their names. Tsunade-nee-chan and Shizune-nee-chan were my lovely caretakers. Tonton still had my respect as my first learned name and playmate though. After all, Tonton was a much easier name to remember.

I also learned my own name. They always pointed to me and would say Hoshi-chan or just Hoshi. It thought it was a suitable name. It sounded like 'oh shit' if I thought about it, so to me it was a name that would strike fear into people's hearts. It was perfect. A month later, I learned Hoshi actually meant star because Tsunade took me outside one night and pointed to both the stars and to me while repeating Hoshi. I still liked it; It was my name after all.

When I was three months old I started rolling over to try and crawl. It took me two weeks just to get used to turning on my stomach and another two weeks to crawl for the first time. To say my caretakers were surprised was an understatement. From their reaction, I deduced I was probably crawling a lot earlier than I should be. I wanted to dumb myself down a bit so not to draw attention, but at the same time I just wanted to explore.

The exploring side of me won. I knew better than to stick stuff in my mouth though, so my wardens should be considered lucky that they practically got a pre-trained baby. It wasn't much later I forced myself to walk by grabbing onto objects to pull me up. Shizune was with me when I did the first time and she screamed and ran out to get Tsunade when she saw me. It scared me at first but later I decided her reaction was hilarious. Tsunade had a fit too, but she got over it quickly. They kept saying stuff along the lines me doing things too early and that they have a prodigy on their hands.

I slowed down things after that. I didn't know why, but the word prodigy bothered me. I could already walk and I could gesture to things I wanted so I decided that I could hold off on talking. Around six months I got a good handle on the language and felt as if I could understand the gist of anything they said. By seven months, I tested out talking when no one was around and found out it wasn't that hard. It took me a while to get my tongue to listen to me, but after I did it was easy.

When I was a year old, I realized I could make small sentences and understand completely what was said, not just the basic idea. Both of my caretakers also had taken it upon themselves to try and get me to say their name first. They had a bet going on and I found out that Tsunade was quite the gambler, but usually lost. I was so tempted to say her name first so she would win for once, but I was also tempted to say Shizune's name instead just to mess with her. Undecided, I compromised.

A month after I turned one I decided to finally grace them with my first words. I settled for waiting until they both were in the room with me and pointed to the bed saying, "Nee-chan, up!" which could refer to either of them. I guessed it was a suffix or something like Miss. I'm still figuring that one out. Anyway, by saying just Nee-chan, it referred to them both and therefore no hard feelings on who got their name said first. That and no one would win the bet.

Their faces were priceless. Slowly they turned towards me with unrestrained hope in their eyes practically asking me if I really just talked. But, neither of them moved and I still wanted up on the bed. Pouting, I repeated, "Nee-chan, up!"

They both rushed over to me telling me to say it again. I giggled and indulged them.

"Did you hear that Shizune? She said my name first. I win the bet!" Tsunade boasted.

"You won? I don't think so. I didn't hear _Tsunade-_nee-chan. I heard nee-chan. That could be either of us," Shizune replied.

"Well let's find out. Who's name were you saying, Hoshi? Her's or mine?" Tsunade asked me.

I snorted. I was not answering that. Avoiding the question, I simply said, "Up!"

Shizune snuffled a laugh and lifted me onto the bed where I crawled under the covers to snuggle with the pillows. Tsunade seemed put out and mumbled brat under her breath before going back to her desk. She popped out some sake and started drinking. Oh, did I mention she likes to drink? She's a happy-sort-of-drunk though so I didn't really care. Shizune likes to hide her sake—something about it being bad to drink in front of children.

So yeah. This was my family. We traveled, I learned, and the first two years of my life was spent with my nee-chans. Sadly, a horrible incident brought my happiness to an end.

I was kidnapped.


	5. Chapter 4

It was on my birthday of all days too. Well, my sorta birthday. I was frozen in time for a while so it's confusing. If someone did a blood test, they'd say I was born two years ago on July 6th, but my real birthday was August 18th seventeen years ago. I'm a Leo just like my Tsunade-nee-chan! Hehe—not that she knows what a Leo is. Then again…_I'm_ not even positive what it is, I just know I am one.

I should probably explain how I knew I was frozen in time though.

Firstly, I knew something wacked up happened when I was in that dark space before. I couldn't move and I had a lot of time on my hands. So, about a month ago I asked about it.

"Nee-chan?" I tugged on Shizune's skirt as we walked through a forest. We were switching towns again. Tsunade-nee had apparently gambled away her money and refused to pay up which pissed off some gang in the previous town. We left the next day.

"Yes?" Shizune looked down and grabbed my hand. Tsunade was grumbling unhappily in front of us about wanting some sake.

"Why was I in the dark so long?" I asked.

I'd like to think that my speech was better than other kids my age. In fact, it was awesome and I was proud of it. They beat grammar into me. You learn quickly if you don't want to get a punch to the head.

Shizune stopped walking, so did Tsunade.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade questioned me, a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"The dark place that red blob and white blob put me. It was black and I was there a long time until you saved me," I stated.

Tsunade blanched while Shizune just murmured, "A red and white blob?"

"You remember that?!" Tsunade exclaimed.

I nodded slowly. Was it weird that I remembered that? I was in there a long time. Why in the world wouldn't I remember? "Of course I remember. Is that bad?" I panicked.

Shizune shook her head. "It's not normal to remember anything from so young, but it's not bad."

"So you're saying you remember being in there? All that time?" Tsunade rasped out.

"Un. I couldn't move and was stuck. I hated it. And no one would change my diaper," I said.

Tsunade snorted but had a pained expression on her face. She knelt down to me and I was picked up. She carried me and we continued walking. They were silent for a while. I was about to ask why again when Shizune hesitantly spoke up.

"You were sealed away for 15 years, Hoshi," she said.

Sealed? That was a new word. "What's a seal?"

"It's something that…it's words that…argh! How do I explain this?" Tsunade grumbled. "It's words on paper enforced by chakra that can do almost anything depending on what is written."

"Chakra? What is—"

_TV. Blonde hair. Glowing. Blue. Green. RED. A body full of veins. A scroll. "Chakra is energy that shinobi need to use to utilize a jutsu. That energy comes from the body energy that is collected from every cell in the body and the spiritual energy that comes from training and experience. In other words, jutsus come from these two energies that are squeezed out of the body and molded together. This process is known as molding the chakra and with this chakra one is able to execute a jutsu by performing a seal," a pink haired girl explained. _

"—that?" I finished flatly. My heart ached at familiarity of the images I saw. Crushing the feeling I realized my question was already explained. But just to make sure, I asked. "Is chakra energy?"

"Yes. It's a combination of spiritual and physical energy," Tsunade trailed off whist glancing down at me.

"So…seals are energy—erm, chakra—with instructions?" I deduced.

"That is certainly a way of putting it. Yes, seals are chakra with instructions. And you were placed under a seal which's instructions were to stop time in the room you were in," she explained.

"Why?" I asked. "Why was I in there? Why didn't they let me out? Was I bad? Did I do something wrong? How come—"

"It was my fault," Tsunade growled. I shot my head up and looked at her guilt stricken face.

"Tsunade-sama! You didn't mean for—it wasn't you're fault!" Shizune rebuked. "You went immediately after you found out."

"I found out fifteen years too late!" she yelled back. "I-I shouldn't have traveled or changed my appearance so much. The bird summon would have found me sooner."

"It's not your fault that summon had horrible tracking abilities and no sense of time! It said it stayed in Konoha for three years looking for someone with blonde hair and a diamond on their head. Not only that, it did the same thing in every town it went to. What kind of summon does that?!" Shizune countered.

"A bad one," I guessed while butting in on the conversation. I didn't like how Tsunade-nee was moping. "By the way, what's a summon?"

They both ignored me. Grr.

"Still, if I had stayed in Konoha just a month or two longer, that never would have happened! I would have had the letter. Did you hear what Hoshi said, Shizune? She remembered her whole time in that damn chamber. All fifteen years!" Tsunade was yelling now.

"I am right here," I mumbled. "Don't ignore me."

"All fifteen years…at least that explains the prodigy thing," Shinzune murmured. "But, still. That was not your fault! You can't blame yourself on this."

"Yes, I—"

I bit her hand and she dropped me.

"—BRAT! What was that for?!" she yelled.

"Ignoring me!" I yelled back. "I dunno what you're all talking 'bout, but I've got the gist. Just listen to Shizune-nee. She's _always_ right. Like that time she told you to stop drinking because you'd get sick. You didn't listen and you were in the bathroom making icky sounds the next day. And that other time when—"

"What was that?!" Tsunade growled. I paled.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" I squeaked, hiding behind Shizune.

Shizune smirked and patted my head. "I'm always right, huh? You've learned well, Hoshi."

Tsunade snorted. "Whatever. Long story short, kid, you're from a place called Uzushiogakure. Seventeen years ago it was crushed in a collaborative attack. In order to save you and keep the Uzumaki clan alive, your mom and grandpa sealed you away in that dark chamber you remember.

I was sent a letter via bird summon who was told to look for me in Konoha. I wasn't there though and the bird had horrible tracking abilities. Two years ago and fifteen years after you were sealed, the bird finally found me and I got a letter that told me about you. I was supposed to take you out and take you to live with your aunt, but your aunt died three years ago so Shizune and I took you in. The rest is history."

We all stayed silent for a while waiting for me to absorb this new piece of information. I wasn't left behind by red and white blob? They were…saving me? I had thought they left me to rot. This news kind of made me feel bad for thinking bad of them. Now it all made sense. Red blob was mom and white blob was probably grandpa and they both were crying and the kissing and…oh. _Oh_.

I should be dead now, shouldn't I? But, I'm not because they saved me. They gave me up. They could have just let me die with them but instead…they gave me Tsunade, Shizune and Tonton. They gave me _life_. And I hated them for it all this time.

This realization made me do something I haven't done in over a year: cry.

It wasn't loud crying, just tears and maybe a runny nose. But, I was upset with myself. How could I hate them? Sure, they stuck me in a cold frozen black zone for fifteen years, but they didn't mean to. They probably only thought I would be in there for—then it dawned on me. _This_ was why Tsunade was feeling bad. She didn't know about me until fifteen years later. Not only that, I just told her that I remembered my whole time in that hell hole. But still, she saved me from it and her being late wasn't even her fault. It was that bird.

I rushed over and gave her a hug, wiping my snot and tears all over her pants. I said the only thing I could think of that would help her understand how I felt, "I l-love you, Nee-chwan. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou—"

"What?" she stumbled back.

I looked up at her. "You saved me. You may have been late, but you saved me. I can't hate you for that," I cried out.

And that settled that mess. I found out about my past and Tsunade got over her guilt. Well, she didn't at first but I threatened to use one of her pony tails as a tissue and she shut up.

I learned from the best, ne?

So after all that jazzmo tazzmo went down, my birthday came a month later. It was August 18th, my real birthday (even if I was physically 2 years 1 month and 12 days old, but who's counting?), and Tsunade decided it was time for celebration and took us—guess where—a casino. Shizune was against it of course, but Tsunade wouldn't budge. Apparently she was feeling lucky and I was to be her good luck charm. I only agreed because she promised to split her winnings with me if she got anything. That and I did kinda sorta want to see if I was lucky like she said. You'd be surprised how convincing she could be.

One hour later and three rounds of poker, it turns out she was right. I _am_ lucky. Everyone else, which were many ugly looking men, let me tell you, was broke and Tsunade was currently rolling in money. I was giggling and Shizune was just staring in shock at the odds.

The men were in outrage though.

"We lost to a bitch and her brat!" the fattest one yelled.

"I've heard of her though! I made sure she's that blonde rumored to always loss in her bets. She must have cheated or something!" another shouted. The rest hooted in agreement.

Tsunade was too happy to even care about their accusing, "Guess my luck as turned men. Send _that_ rumor around!"

They stood up in outrage and one pulled out a sword. I was starting to get nervous at this point and shuffled behind Shizune. Tsunade saw this and punched the table into men, shoving them back into the ground. Grabbing the money, we left running.

It was a normal occurrence to me now. Usually the towns we left we ran away from. The only difference this time was that I was with them in the casino and was seen. I was scared at first, but we were in a different town in less than a day and I wasn't worried anymore. It's Tsunade after all. She can handle anything. I had witnessed her knock down a group of men with one punch to a table. I was positive we were fine. This happened all the time, after all.

But, we weren't fine. The men remembered me and the next time both Tsunade and Shizune left me in a hotel to go out, I was kidnapped. I was taking a nap and they broke the door, waking me up. I was shoved in a sack and I heard a gruff voice tell another to leave a note.

To put it simply, Tsunade was pissed when she found it.


	6. Chapter 5

At the moment I'm in a sack. It is uncomfortable to say the least. The sack itself smells like horse shit and the man carrying me in the sack smells like BO. That plus the complete carelessness they were taking while running is causing the sack to keep ramming into things. It hurts, but I'm mostly too distracted by the awful smell.

I know what is happening, but at the same time I'm not really panicking. The bad men left a note. It isn't like Tsunade-nee won't know what happened. She'll beat all the men up with her super punch just like before. At the same time I have this nagging feeling she won't. What if the note isn't something that demanded ransom so they didn't give a location? What if she can't find me? What if it _is_ a ransom note and she doesn't want to pay it? What if the men kill me before she finds me? What if, what if, what if.

What if…I need to save myself?

And so my thoughts wandered. What could I do? I was two. _Two!_ These men are older than me, stronger than me, have weapons, and probably have no qualms about killing a measly kid if she becomes too much of a handful. I'm stuck in a sack. I'm almost positive that even if I do get out, they'll notice. I'm even more positive that if they don't notice that I'll die lost in the surrounding forest instead.

The question for me is: Which is worse? I answered that easily. I'd rather die in the forest than by the men. At least the forest smelled nice.

So what am I going to do? I shouldn't expect Tsunade and Shizune to save me. The possibility is there, but at the same time I shouldn't rely all my hope with them. It's not that I don't trust them to beat the guys up, oh no, it's because I don't know if they'll find us. If they find us, I'm free. But if they don't…I'm done for.

I need a plan. First, I need to know how many men there are which is pretty hard to figure out since I'm in a sack. Closing my eyes, I tried concentrating on the sound of footsteps. How many are there? Four steps…six…nine….twenty….twenty-three…..

It's not working.

"Come on, concentrate," I grumbled to myself. I tried counting again.

There were more than three, but I couldn't tell between footsteps. There could be as many as twenty for all I know. Growling angrily I shuffled around in the sack trying to let out my anger on something, anything.

"Stop squirming you little brat!" the person carrying me yelled. Something smashed into the sack harshly and hit me in the stomach. I wheezed in pain. Squeezing my eyes closed, tears escaped.

Abruptly, the darkness of my mind sparked blue. Dim blue. Everywhere. Trees surrounded me on all sides for as far as I could see. No, feel. I could feel it. There was a trail and on it a rock with a small blue shaped like an ant. Many ants joined it. A beetle scurried across a tree. A squirrel ran branch to branch. Birds flew and the world glowed all around me. Six larger blues surrounded me. A seventh carried me. One was much brighter than the others. The rest were dim. All of them took the shape of men. The largest of the dim blues was leading.

A humongous pulse flared distantly behind us. I reached backwards and saw everything as I went. The trees that were covered in moss, thinned down until there was a town. It was far. Very far. The bright blue pulse flared again and was joined by another. I zoned in there. Shapes of…women. One held another blue. They suddenly were racing in this direction at great speeds. Their figure seemed familiar to me. Then, realization hit me.

_Tsunade-nee, Shizune-nee, and Tonton. _

They were coming. They were far away, but they were coming. I was overwhelmed by relief and receded my vision back to the men surrounding me. There were seven. That wasn't too many and they seemed to be a little burly. I bet I could outrun them if I got out.

I opened my eyes and the glowing world dissipated. I grinned. I had no idea what just happened, but I didn't care. I could 'see' with my eyes closed and it was awesome. Exhilarating. I wanted to do it again and just explore without exploring, but I had something more important to do.

The next order of business would be getting out of the sack. Truthfully, it wouldn't be that hard. They didn't tie my wrists or feet and if I ignored the taste of the poop smelling bag, I could probably rip it open with my teeth.

From what I could tell, these guys were underestimating me just because I was a kid. Then again, if I was in their footsteps I would underestimate me too. I could use this though. I just had to seem like a wimp. Maybe they'd let their guard down while they slept.

Okay, simple plan: Wait for them to sleep, rip bag open with teeth, and then run like hell. Probably wasn't going to work, but it was all I had—that and my new awesome head vision. I felt like a super hero.

* * *

_"I'm superman!" Bradly shouted as he jumped on the bed posing. "I can punch planets and shoot lasers out of my ass!"_

_"Superman can't do that, silly," I giggled before throwing a blue teddy bear at him._

* * *

I frowned. Where did that come from?

The sack and I were suddenly tossed on the ground harshly. I grunted in discomfort.

"Feed the kid," someone said. "We're stopping here tonight. Make camp."

The sack was ripped open and I was yanked out of it by a calloused hand. I struggled in the man's grip but he held on effortlessly, probably leaving a bruise.

"Keep still," he growled while tying my hands together and then to a nearby tree. He then shoved a piece of dry bread in my mouth and I choked in surprise as he walked away. "Now, sit there and be quiet."

Spitting the bread out, I coughed before I spit out the taste. Ugh, it had been moldy. Well, there went plan one. I can't exactly escape with myself tied to a tree. Slumping, I leaned back against the trunk and looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled and I searched around for the moon only to find it missing.

New moon then, no wonder it's so dark out. That would have been advantageous if only I wasn't tied up. I looked around. The men were surrounding a low laying fire and cooking potatoes in the burning ashes. I swallowed hungrily as the smell wafted over to me. I looked away when I felt irritation on my arm. Turning as much as I could, I tried to get a good look at it. It wasn't red but it was irritated from rubbing against the tree bark. I glared angrily at the tree.

_Yew._

Yew? I looked at the fallen foliage from the tree that is on the ground. In fact, I noticed that where my bare legs touched the dead leaves, they felt the same irritation if not more so.

* * *

_"Don't," a hand yanked mine away from some leaves. "It's a yew. Their leaves will kill you and you won't even realize it."_

_"Oh. Sorry, Bradly. It looked like the rosemary bush I gathered from yesterday," I said pulling back from the plant._

_"It's a tree, not a bush. It may not look it now since it's only a sapling, but it'll look like that in a few years," he said pointing to a large grove nearby. "Never eat it."  
_

* * *

I blinked the images away. I looked between the yew leaves and the potatoes. Then, I opened my mouth on impulse and said, "Potatoes taste disgusting plain. The least you could do is season them. You have rosemary right here." I gestured to a yew sapling nearby.

"I told you to keep your mouth shut twerp!" the one who tied me up yelled. He started to get up and come towards me when the guy, the leader from earlier, stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, Kaito," he said then turned towards me. "You certainly sound articulate. What are you, one?"

"I'm two," I glared.

"Heh. And how do you even know what rosemary is," he questioned as he picked some of the yew off a stem.

"My nee-chan taught me it when she was cooking," I said. It was partially true. Shizune did show me what rosemary was when we saw some on the side of the road once. "We had potatoes for dinner and it made it taste better."

He smirked, walked over and pat my face twice before going back to cooking. This time he put some of the yew leaves on the potatoes. "Thanks for the advice, kid. You still don't get any," he sneered.

I frowned and looked away. I didn't want any anyway. I don't have a death wish.

The men fell asleep a little later with one near me keeping watch. I closed my eyes and felt my vision change to the glowing world again. I looked for Tsunade-nee. She and Shizune-nee were closer, but won't be here for a few hours probably.

A sudden cough from my watcher drew my attention and I look over at him. He was breathing heavily and fanning his face a bit. I inwardly smile. The yew is finally working. I look over at the sleeping men and watch for their breathing. Focusing my sight, I noticed most were also breathing heavily but two weren't at all.

I frowned. I had inadvertently just killed some people, didn't I?

I frowned some more when the watcher dropped and laid still on the ground near me. I leaned towards him and carefully used my feet to pull the sword he had from it its sheath. Once it was out, I brought my feet and it towards me, dropped it and turned my back. Feeling around with my hands, I carefully searched for the knife and then spent the next ten minutes cutting the rope on my hands.

When I finally got untied,I stood up, quietly walked over to the sleeping men, and watched the remaining four as they died peacefully in their sleep. Then I sat down near the edge of the camp and stared at their dead bodies, waiting for Nee-chan to show up.

During all this, I had one question that kept going through my head. Why don't I feel anything? I just _killed_ seven men. I should be feeling guilty, but I don't—not even a little bit. Is that normal? Well, they don't even look all that dead. If you didn't notice they weren't breathing, you'd think they were sleeping. Maybe that was the reason...

The only emotion I could place was indifference and happiness that I wasn't hurt badly. I only had a large bruise on my stomach from that one kick and a bruise on my wrist from that one guy holding it too hard. It was barely anything. It'd heal in less than a week.

I sat there for a few hours until dawn when I felt Tsunade and Shizune come from less than a minute away. I didn't see Shizune at first, but Tsunade came stampeding into the clearing so quickly I jumped. She slammed her fist into the ground and the earth shattered. I squeaked when suddenly, I was lifted up by Shizune and pulled backwards away from the flying rocks.

I looked back to see the already dead bodies now covered in cuts, only none of them bled. Tsunade and Shizune probably realized this because Tsunade stopped her attack and Shizune dropped down next to her bewildered. I just grasped onto Shizune and Tonton hugging them tightly. I'd missed them.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Shizune said while hugging me back. After a moment I was passed to Tsunade and she crushed me into her chest and we stayed that way for a long time. She ran her fingers through my red hair and murmured I'm sorry a few times. I frowned into her shoulder and pulled back.

"Why?" I asked. "It wasn't your fault."

She just crushed me back into a hug when I heard an abrupt gasp behind me that came from Shizune. Both Tsunade and I turned to her with questioning looks when she pleaded, "Please tell me you didn't eat any of the potatoes they cooked."

Oh. I forgot about that. I guess I have to tell them. "No, they wouldn't give me any," I replied. "I wouldn't have eaten any anyway. I tricked them into using _yew_ as a seasoning. They died earlier in their sleep. Well, all except the one who was supposed to be watching me. He fell over and I used his sword to cut the rope."

They gawked at me and Shizune hesitantly lifted up a small branch from one of the yew trees. "You mean this?"

I nodded. "I told them it was rosemary. It's not rosemary," I stated simply. "It's _yew."_

"You poisoned them," Tsunade whispered silently giving me a curious look. "Where did you learn about this _yew?_"

"_Bradly_ told me," I replied. "He stopped me from trying to gather some because I thought it was rosemary."

Understanding and relief seemed to cover their faces.

"Buradorii?" Shizune tried to roll the name on her tongue. I scrunched up my nose. It sounded weird when she said it. "Strange name."

Tsunade started walking away from the sight with me in her arms. Shizune and Tonton followed. "You never told us you left the hotel before," she remarks.

I blinked at what she said. What did she mean 'left the hotel'? I've never left. Confused I was about to ask when my stomach growled. Blushing, I said instead, "Nee-chan, I'm hungry."

"Well then we better hurry to the next town and get you fed!" she grinned down at me. Seeing this I grinned back and gave her another hug.

Then something occurred to me and unable to resist I asked. "Nee-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you teach me to be awesome like you? I wanna explode the ground too!"

She barked out a laugh, "You've got a long way before you'd ever be able to do that."

"Teach me!"

"Well, we do have a long journey to Konoha," Shizune said as Tsunade leaned down and picked up a fallen leaf before handing it to me.

"What's Konoha?" I asked while inspecting the leaf Tsunade handed me. The word Konoha stood out to me in a way. Maybe we had been there before?

Tsunade's smile waned and she replied, "It's…going to be your new home, Hoshi."

Surprised, my eyebrows rose. "We're going to stay somewhere? Not travel anymore?"

"No," Shizune answered for her. "We've come to realize that it's too…unsafe…for you to stay with us. We were originally going to send you there once we found you, but…"

"We got attached," Tsunade finished. "This—what happened to you—it can't happen again. Konoha …you'll be safe there."

By the time they finished explaining, I had dropped my leaf in shock with tears pricking my eyes. "You're leaving me?"

They were silent. I looked between them with pleading eyes hoping they'd change their minds. They turned away abashed, but unyielding.

I cried into Tsunade's shoulder for a long while until she cleared her thoat. I turned my head and looked at her. She gave something along the line of an apologetic look before handing me another leaf, "So, do you want to learn the secret of my 'awesomeness' as you put it?"

I gave her a watery smile. "Un!"


	7. Chapter 6

The next month and a half or so consisted of heading towards my new home. Tsunade seemed reluctant to tell me about it, often changing the topic when I asked. Shizune was the same, but only because Tsunade was with us. Eventually I gave up attempts of learning about the place and resolved myself to learn of it only when I got there.

We probably could have arrived there in a week if we ran, but we all had a silent agreement to extend the journey to Konoha as long as we could. In order to delay time, we went to some cultural sights, much to Shizune-nee's joy. While Shizune dragged us around fawning over things, Tsunade-nee continued teaching me chakra control techniques.

She thought it might take me a while to 'find' my chakra, I was only two after all, but it came to me the moment I thought of it. All I had to do was close my eyes and feel the glowing world, only this time I had to feel it inside myself. Happy with my quick progress, I went straight to channeling the chakra into the leaf and then sticking it to my forehead. This is where my problem lied. I could not in any physical way get my chakra to pour into that itty bitty leaf. I kept overdoing it and causing it to become fried.

After a day of killing leaves, Nee-chan told me she 'forgot' to mention that my reserves were higher than average due to my Uzumaki blood which made chakra control difficult. I was upset, but she assured me I would still be able to have good chakra control so long as I practiced often. However, I couldn't start with the leaf.

Instead of starting small, she made me simply try and get my chakra to appear visible all around me. Easy, I finished it in an hour. I wasn't even winded. The rest of the journey consisted of lowering the area in which I focused chakra out of until it was as small as the leaf. By the time we finally arrived near Konoha, I was able to focus my chakra down to only my hands.

"We are separating here, Hoshi," Tsunade-nee said stopping in the middle of the large road. We were still about an hour away from Konoha.

"What? You're not coming with me? I don't know where to go! What am I supposed to do once I get there? What about—"

"Let me reword that. We are separating here physically. I'm sending a shadow clone with you," she rephrased.

"What's a shadow—"

A white poof clouded my vision and a second Tsunade stood next to all of us.

"—clone…nevermind," I said dryly. "You always do that, Nee-chan! You never even let me finish my questions."

She crossed her arms smirking. "You're too predictable. It's a advanced jutsu. Who knows, maybe I'll teach you when you're older," she said as she crouched down for a hug. I ran to her outstretched arms and hugged her neck tightly before pulling away and rushing over to Shizune-nee to do the same. After that I picked up and kissed Tonton's head then handed her back to Shizune.

We had already said our goodbyes last night before we went to bed. To put it simply, there were a lot of tears on Shizune's and I's part. Tsunade-nee wouldn't admit it if anyone asked, but I'm sure I heard a sniffle or two from her when she thought we were asleep. Either way, we wanted to be smiling when we separated, not snot-faced, so we got that over with beforehand.

We all just stood there a while before Tsunade turned to the clone. "You know what to do."

Tsunade's clone nodded. I went to follow her, but Shizune pulled me back into one more hug and whispered, "Remember what we planned the other day?"

I grinned mischievously and nodded into her shoulder.

"Good," she smiled and pulled back. I walked over to the clone taking her hand only to be lifted up and held on her hip instead. I wrapped my arms around her neck and waved goodbye as we took to the trees.

Laying my head on Tsunade-nee-chan's clone's shoulder, I thought about Shizune's soon-to-be prank. You'd be surprised, but Shizune-nee is quite the prankster. She's just very subtle about it. Once, she replaced Tsunade-nee's whole stash of sake with flavored water. When asked about it she simply replied, "Oh? I guess next time you'll have to double check to make sure it's sake before you buy it, Tsunade-sama." Lately I've been in on them and this time was going to be our biggest prank yet.

Another few minutes passed and we arrived to two large gates that towered yards above our heads. I heard Nee-chan's clone mumble a few profanities and an, "I don't want to be here," as we walked up to two men behind a counter to the left of the gates. They were gaping at us openly before abruptly straitening their backs and squeaking out, "Tsu-tsunade-sama! You're back! Oh, we better alert the Hokage."

One of the men dashed off and not soon after a crowd seemed to be slowly forming near the gate as we walked through. Embarrassed, I held onto the clone tightly and hid my face in her neck. I overheard villager's voices as we passed which only served to embarrass me more. Who was Tsunade-nee to them? I peeked out and trailed my eyes over the growing crowd. Oh my god, did one just bow to them?

"Tsunade-hime's returned!"

"She's back!"

"I wonder who that kid is."

"Such vivid red hair. Doesn't that remind you of—"

"Shh!"

"Maybe she's here to finish that demon."

"I can't believe_ the_ Tsundade-sama is back!"

"I'm seeing Legendary Sannin Tsunade in the flesh. Am I dreaming?"

Whoa. Sannin? Hime? Demon? What is with all these people? Oh, wait, I almost forgot. I needed to do the prank Shizune gave me. Shyly, I lifted my face and turned to Tsunade-nee's clone and said, "Okaa-san, why are they staring at us?"

The clone sputtered and stared at me wide eyed, "O-okaa-san?!"

I internally sniggered at her reaction. Once Shizune gets word of this, she's going to have a field day. In fact, the moment those words left my mouth, the crowd had a field day.

"Did she just say—!"

"Oh my! Tsunade-sama has a kid."

"Now that you mention it, don't their noses look the same?"

"Do you think that's why she's returned?"

"I never thought that she would—"

The clone blushed lightly and glared down at me accusingly. I gave her the most innocent eyes I could muster.

"Aww! Isn't she so cute!"

"I wonder what she named her."

"Who do you think the father is?"

"She's not my kid!" the clone suddenly yelled with a red face. After that we sped to the big red building away from the crowd. The moment we were in closed doors she scowled at me and dropped me on the ground. "Shizune set you up to this, didn't she? Didn't she?!"

"What are you talking about Nee-chan?" I played dumb. She cracked her knuckles and I paled spouting, "Yes! YES! She did! Please don't hurt me! I don't want any more noogies!"

"Shi-zu-ne, you are so dead when I dispel," she growled out loud before grabbing my hand and leading me up lots of stairs. "Setting the two year old on me is not fair…"

I would have giggled, but I didn't have a death wish.

When we reached a certain level, we walked passed a receptionist desk whose receptionist was gawking at us. I ducked my head as we turned and Nee-chan slammed open a door to a room with a very large window. Looking around I spotted an old man with a pipe in his mouth staring openly at us. I hid behind Tsunade-nee's legs.

"So it's true. Welcome back Tsunade-chan," the old guy said warmly.

"_Don't_ call me that," Nee-chan said.

I peeked from behind her and looked at the old guy. He peered down at me and smiled, "And who might you be?"

I opened my mouth to reply only to be cut off my Tsunade handing him a letter. "Her name is Uzumaki Hoshi, last known survivor of the fall of Uzushiogakure. The letter should explain things. I've placed a fake birth certificate in there with her real one so not to cause confusion during blood tests. That's…about it, I think. Take care of her," she said. She leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on my forehead and then poofed into oblivion. Just. Like. That.

I stared at the dissipating smoke for a minute before turning to the old man. He had dropped his pipe in shock. I couldn't help it this time, I giggled. He abruptly looked down at me, then he reached for the letter and opened it, reading quickly. I watched him read it once, twice, thrice, before he pulled out the birth certificates and dropped them on the table wide eyed.

Once he seemed to gather his thoughts he gazed back at me again. I shuffled my feet sheepishly and said the only thing that came to mind.

"Hi."


	8. Chapter 7

"You can't go in there! The Hokage is having a very important meeting right now!" someone shouted outside the office.

SLAM.

The abrupt sound caused me to scream and jolt backwards right into the old man's desk, hitting my head and falling on the floor. Whimpering I caressed my swollen skull as a yellow blur flew inside the room, an angry receptionist not far behind.

"Hokage-sama! I am so, so sorry. He rushed by before I could stop—"

"JIJI!"

I turned to the source of the sound only to see a bright blonde haired, blue eyed kid who seemed a little older than me, grinning ear to ear and hugging the elder man. The man himself had an exasperated but warm smile on his face as he gave the boy a quick hug back.

"You remember it's my birthday, right? Right?" the boy exclaimed.

Chuckling, he set the boy down and patted his head. "Just because I'm getting old does not mean I'm losing my memory," the old man replied lightheartedly.

Confused and rubbing my head a little, I sat up from where I fell only to catch the receptionist staring at me curiously. Embarrassed, I curled myself inward and crawled behind the desk, under the old guy's feet to hide. I didn't like the attention at all. I've only ever been with my Nee-chans; I never left the hotel unless with them. I had no idea how to talk to any of these people.

"It's okay, Naruto can stay in here. Actually, he had perfect timing. I was about to go see him," I heard the deep voice of the elder say.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The sound of a door closing echoed lightly under the desk.

Silence.

"Jiji, who's under the desk?" the boy, Naruto asked. Hearing this I shuffled farther into a corner and hugged my legs to myself.

The old man—I mean _Hokage_—slid his chair back slightly and I saw the blonde peek under and look at me. The Hokage also leaned down and said, "Come on out, little one. No one's going to hurt you."

I shook my head vehemently. I was not leaving here. Something about these two had started making my head feel jumbled, especially the blonde.

"You're a little shy I see," the Hokage murmured as he sat back up. "Naruto, see if you can get her to come out. I've got something to tell you both."

"Okay, gramps," he replied and suddenly the small boy crawled under the desk with me and we stared at each other for a second.

"Come out!" he yelled, straight to the point. I winced at the loudness resonating in the enclosed space. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me forwards. Unable to pull back, I was yanked out from under the desk and led to a seat which I was pushed down into.

The Hokage's amused expression and Naruto's grin greeted me and I couldn't help but blush and lightly smile back. I quickly curled back into a ball, but somehow I started to feel oddly comfortable around these two even though I didn't know them at all.

"So who's she and what'd you want to tell us, Jiji?" Naruto asked as he jumped into a seat next to me. "And where's my present?"

"Why don't you two introduce yourselves first," the Hokage suggested.

We both turned towards each other and ever on the initiative, he stuck his hand out with a grin, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage 'ttebayo!"

My eyes widened. Did he just say Uzumaki? I thought that they all had…

"Say it again!" I abruptly shouted, all shyness abandoning me. Both he and the Hokage seemed taken aback.

"I'm the next Hokage?" Naruto quirked his head to the side.

"No, no! Before that! What's your name?" I asked impatiently.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he stated. "Why?"

I jumped from my chair and crashed into him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. He was an Uzumaki. He was _family_. I've thought I was alone because Nee-chan said that I was the last since my Aunt died who lived in Konoha so…_wait_.

My Aunt died who lived in Konoha. Slowly I connected the dots and stared down and the highly confused and blushing Naruto.

"W-w-why are you h-hugging me?!" he squeaked red faced.

I smiled widely at him. "You're my mom's sister's son!" I exclaimed turning to the Hokage excitedly, "Right?"

The Hokage's eyes widened for a second before smiling with a nod. Grinning, I turned back to the now shocked blonde who was staring at me with something unrecognizable in his eyes. "Does that mean…?"

"My name's Uzumaki Hoshi. Nice to meet you, Naruto-nii!"

Suffice to say, he tackled me into another hug. How's that for a birthday present?


	9. Chapter 8

He started crying. I didn't know why, but he just started crying. And I have no idea what to do other than hug him back. His reaction to finding out whom I am was confusing me greatly. Shouldn't he be happy? I know _I_ am.

Minutes passed in which he continued to cling to me and bawl. I just continued giving him a hug and awkwardly pat his back.

Eventually, I looked over at the Hokage with a 'help' look only to see him conveniently looking down at paperwork. Evil, evil man. How could you leave me with the mess here? What to do…

I felt a particular wetness on my arm and recoiled slightly. Snot. There is snot on my arm. There is _snot_ on my _arm._ Insert panic face. Oh God…to deal with it or not to deal with it, that is the question. If I stay still and ignore it, I'm comforting my new found family. On the other hand…it's snot. Yup, I'm totally going to—

Thankfully I didn't have to make that decision because in the next second Naruto pulled back teary eyed, but more calmed down. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he hiccuped out, "I'm not crying, I just have something in my eye."

"Uh huh. And I'm the Hokage," I said sarcastically while I discreetly wiped the snot off my arm with a nearby drape. Hopefully no one will notice the new slimy addition to the décor. "By the way, what's a Hokage?"

_Powerful. Leader of Konohagakure. __Senju __Hashirama. Senju __Tobirama__. Sarutobi __Hiruzen__. Namikaze __Minato__. Senju __Tsunade__. Red and white hat. Hokage monument—one has four heads, the other with five._

I blink, then look out the window at the four headed monument I had just envisioned, only this time in person. I turned back and look at the Hokage and see the red and white hat I had also imagined atop his head. Then I thought back on the five headed monument, only with Nee-chan on it. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at the images I just had. Now, that I had time to really think about it, this seems to happen a lot. Weird.

"What!" Naruto shouted at me. I looked to him. He seemed completely fine now, in fact he didn't even look as if he had been crying. "You don't know what the Hokage is?!"

"I didn't, but my head just told me," I said. The Hokage shot his eyes towards me and Naruto just gave me a puzzled expression. "A Hokage is the name of the leader of this village, also known as Konohagakure, correct?"

"Yeah, yeah! And I'm going to be Hokage one day too! I'll be the strongest in the village and everyone will look up to me," Naruto explained excitedly.

The strongest in the village? I looked over at the current Hokage who was giving me a calculating look. Ignoring that I asked, "You're the Hokage?"

He gave me a nod and a smile.

"The leader of the village?"

Another nod. I raised an eyebrow.

"The strongest of the strong?"

A sigh and a nod. He seemed to see where this was going.

"But you're so old!" I exclaimed.

Naruto cracked up laughing. I just continued scrutinizing the supposed Hokage while wondering how in the world he was the strongest of all the…what was he the strongest of?

_Ninja._

Oh, right. Ninja. He was the _strongest_ ninja in the village? I tried to wrap my brain around it. Nope, I just couldn't see it.

"Lies," I mumbled to myself. "It has to be lies."

He sighed deeply before gesturing me towards him. "Could a lesser ninja do this?" he asked as he pulled up his hand surrounding it in a blue glow.

"Wow! Jiji, that's so cool!" Naruto yelled.

I narrowed my eyes. That trick may work on Naruto, but not on me. I slammed my right hand down on his desk next to where the Hokage's hands lay glowing and applied chakra to my own hands. "Even I can do that," I proudly stated. I had just learned it after all…even if I still couldn't do the leaf exercise without killing the poor things.

Naruto gaped at me. "Y-you—no way! Teach me!"

The Hokage seemed slightly put out by the fact I ruined his fun, but also interested. "So Tsunade-chan taught you some chakra exercises, did she?"

"Un," then I turned to Naruto, "I'll teach you later."

"Yatta!" he cheered.

The Hokage chewed on his pipe a bit looking between the two of us. "I'm going to have another mini menace running around soon, I can just tell."

I grinned. Menace, huh? I liked it.

"Ne, Hoshi-chan," Naruto said. "How old are you?"

"I turned two last month! Or uh, a couple months ago?" I said thinking back to which birth date I should be using.

"Ehhh? You don't know your own birthday?" he asked incredulously.

"I have two birthdays, okay. I just don't know which one I'm supposed to use," I grumbled.

"Lucky! I only get one birthday: today! I just turned three," he stated smugly.

I pouted slightly upon learning he was older than me then frowned, "I don't have a gift for you."

"You already got me one," he smiled secretly. I tilted my head, but didn't question it. I'd just go buy him a gift later today. What should I get him?

"Sorry to interrupt," a voice said from the window. We all turned and a silver haired man with a mask covering most of his face jumped into the room. All of a sudden he looked at us, stared with his one eye, then turned around and jumped back out.

After a moment I asked, "Is that normal?"

"It can be," the Hokage replied with an exhale of smoke.

"…rude," I mumbled. "Ne, what do I do now?"

"Well…you wish to stay with Naruto I assume," he smiled. Naruto looked at me pleadingly.

That was a no brainer, "Of course!"

"I'll make it so you both will be together in the adoption list then," he murmured as he started writing things down.

"Adoption?" I questioned before realizing the situation I was in. Basically, I'm two years old and have no parents or guardians anymore. "Oh, yeah. I'm an orphan now."

The Hokage gave me a sympathetic look and Naruto frowned thoughtfully.

On the plus side, "At least I have Naruto with me."

He grinned giving me another hug, then asked, "Jiji, can you take us out to Ichiraku's? I want some birthday ramen!"

"Ah, sorry Naruto. I would have, but Hoshi here has caused my paperwork for today to double with the commotion she caused," he gave me a slight glower.

"It was funny!" I reasoned only to get a chastising look in return. "Hey, it wasn't my idea…sadly."

"What commotion?" Naruto looked between us. "What was funny? Tell me! Tell me!"

"I'll tell you over Ramen. By the way…what's ramen?"

"OH MY SWEET RAMEN KING!" he screamed dragging me out of the Hokage's office.

"My ears—!" I cried, slamming my hands over them in pain.

The Hokage just puffed his pipe while pulling out some more papers, "I'm getting to old for this."


	10. Chapter 9

Naruto ran ahead while dragging me by my hand through the crowded streets of Konoha. He was grinning like no tomorrow and his smile was contagious; I was laughing the whole way.

However, when we went through the center of town, I couldn't help notice strange whispers directed our way as we passed. I couldn't hear anything in particular, but there was certainly pointing and glares. Confused and embarrassed, I ducked my head as we ran.

Were they mad because they found out I pranked them? Calling Tsunade Okaa-san did get more of a reaction than I thought it would. Or…maybe it was my hair? I did hear someone comment on it when I arrived earlier. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't seen anyone with red hair at all. Uncomfortable, I promised myself I'd buy a hat to cover up the red locks later today. Oh, and while I do that I can find Naruto a birthday present.

Sounds like a plan. But, first I must find out what this ramen is that he keeps relishing on about.

When we finally reached the farther edge of town, Naruto led me into an open bar restaurant with a very high counter. He hopped right up onto a bar stool, but I struggled getting up and eventually was pulled up with the help of Naruto.

"Irasshaimase! Oh, Naruto, it's you!" A man walked out with a grin on his face. "And who's your friend?"

"My sister!" Naruto said happily.

"Sister, you say?" the man raised his brows.

"Naruto, I'm your cousin," I leaned over and whispered. He ignored or didn't hear me, confirming the man's question instead. I sighed.

The man eyed me with a smile, "I'm Teuchi, the owner of this ramen shop. It's nice to meet the sister of my best customer."

I flushed a bit replying, "You too, Teuchi-san"

"Now what can I get for you both?" he asked kindly.

"Miso ramen," Naruto immediately replied.

"Uh…" I looked to Naruto helplessly.

"Make that two miso ramens."

"Coming right up!" Teuchi walked back into the back.

Quietness encompassed the shop as I sat there awkwardly, unknowing what to say. Naruto seemed to having no such qualms yet again and turned to me grinning, "You lived outside of Konoha, right? What's it like? I bet it was amazing!"

I thought of all the run down towns we stayed in before answering, "I don't know about amazing. We— my Nee-chans and I—traveled all over. Truthfully, this is the most amazing place I've ever visited before. It's so big and full of so many people. There's so much color."

"Really?" he looked at me doubtfully.

"Really," I nodded seriously. "There _was_ probably one place that may have had this village beaten, but I couldn't see it when I was there. I was told it was beautiful."

"What! Where?"

"Uzushiogakure. Tsunade-nee had visited it once before…the attack…and she said it was the most beautiful village," I said wistfully.

"I've never heard of that village before. And what do you mean by attack?" he asked.

I looked over at him speculatively. "Don't you know? You're and _Uzumaki_," I stated.

At his confused face, I faltered. He really doesn't know anything. He didn't even recognize the name Uzushiogakure. In shock I yelled, "You know nothing of your heritage at all?!"

"No?" he scratched the back of his head nervously from my outburst.

"Tell me you at least know about the Uzumaki clan. Please," I begged.

"Ehhhh?! We're a clan?" he yelled wide eyed.

My mouth dropped. Screw the ramen, I was giving him a history lesson now!

"Ramen's ready!" Teuchi called as he walked out with two steaming bowls. Naruto practically jumped on the counter in excitement and took his bowl, digging in with gusto. I stared off into space thinking about things I'd have to tell him.

"Hoshi-chan, eat the ramen! Eat it!" Naruto started chanting. Distracted from my thoughts, I looked back over to see both him and Teuchi watching me expectantly.

Sheepishly, I pulled out some chopsticks and split them. I guess I'll tell him later. Uncertainly, I brought up a glob of pasta from the bowl and blew on it. After taking a quick whiff, I chopped down. Instantaneously, I shoved more into my mouth.

"Thwis is shwooo good!" I exclaimed with a mouthful of noodles in my mouth.

* * *

When we had finished eating a couple bowls, we waved goodbye to Teuchi after promising to come back soon. He was really nice and let us eat on the house because it was Naruto's birthday. It was approaching dusk and I begged Naruto to show me around. He seemed uncomfortable with the idea, but upon promising to show him the chakra exercises I learned, he agreed readily.

Fifteen minutes later, I completely understood why he did not want to do this. They were everywhere just staring at us, shooing us away. I was scared, more scared than when I was kidnapped. Naruto seemed to take it more in stride, but I could tell he was bothered. He would send everyone wary looks and eventually he ended up taking my hand so he could speed up without losing me.

I relished in his company, holding his hand tighter as he led us into a small shop. Finally away from prying eyes, we separated and I looked around for a hat. Upon pulling out a sky blue beanie from a pile of clothes on sale, I put it on and shoved my red locks under it. Standing in front of a mirror, I saw some pieces still fell out, but it was mostly hidden. Nodding in approval, I turned to Naruto only to see him glancing cautiously at the shop owner who was watching us like a hawk. I shuddered at the looks he was sending Naruto.

Confused and slightly irritated, I grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile before asking, "What do you think? Does it look okay?"

He snapped out of his anxiety and looked at the beanie. "Yeah, it looks fine. Why are you getting a hat though? I like your hair."

I blushed and looked down sadly. "People keep staring…and the color is red. It's red!" I cried.

"Oh uh," he shifted his weight and glanced at the shopkeeper again. "It's not your hair. Trust me."

"Then why do—"

"And what's wrong with red?" he avoided my question. I tilted my head, but decided not to ask.

Instead, "I don't like red. It's—I don't know. I've seen it too much. I don't like seeing it anymore."

He looked at me funny. I shrugged and just pulled my new hat a little lower. Taking another look around the store, I decided to look for Naruto's birthday present now. I wanted to get him something he'd be able to keep or use often. Most things in here related to clothing, so I had to find something that he wouldn't really outgrow for a while.

That's when I saw it: a pair of blue-green goggles. I walked over to them slowly and picked them up. Inspecting them, I immediately got an image of Naruto wearing them in my head. In fact, I had a feeling he'd wear them a lot. Smiling, I then walked over to the counter and looked up apprehensively at the shop owner. "I'd like to get this hat," I pointed to my head, "and these goggles, please."

He grunted. "210 ryo," he said. I pulled out my small cotton wallet and pulled out the desired amount handing it to him. Ringing it up, he handed me some change. As I was about to leave, he pulled me back and crouched down saying, "Stay away from that blonde kid. He's dangerous, okay."

Highly irked at his comment, I turned to him and smacked him so suddenly that I didn't realize I had until after I'd done it. I covered my mouth in shock, "I-I'm sorry—wait. No, I'm not! Don't talk about my Nii-chan that way!"

Then I ran to a wide eyed Naruto, grabbed his hand and ran out the shop. And we kept running. We ran and ran, just to run. I couldn't stop thinking about what that man said, the stares, and what I had done. It was wrong, it had to be. I could feel it. Of all things that had felt wrong to me so far in my life (and that was a lot of things), Naruto being called dangerous felt the _worst. _And I was going to act on those feelings.

I stopped abruptly and turned to see the highly dazed Naruto watching me closely. He looked terrified of me—of what I would say.

So, I didn't say anything. I just pulled out the goggles I got him and placed them on his head. And then I gave him a hug. I didn't say a thing as I felt tears wet my shoulder again. He didn't say anything either when he felt the same thing.

I realized today that something more was going on—something bigger. It was something that involved Naruto and now me, but whatever it was I didn't know. It frightened me to feel such a thing and to know those looks, stares, glares, and _whispers_ were something to fear. However, I decided that I didn't care. So long as I had him, I didn't care.


	11. Chapter 10

The Next Two Years

* * *

Time passed quickly the next few years. We had a lot of trouble living in the orphanage. The caretakers kept trying to keep my away from Naruto, even going to such lengths of locking me in another room once. As payback, I peed on their pillows one evening. Naruto, when he found out, somehow managed to give them all haircuts while they slept. I think this was about when we began pranking people we didn't like.

Another time, both of us had outgrown our smaller toddler beds and were going to be sent to our official bunks. Naruto had already been in his new room with the older kids for a few months by then. His bed was in the farthest end of the room separating him from the other kids by one empty bunk—the bunk I wanted. The caretakers, as suspected, refused to let me sleep there and sent me to another room where the only other available bed was. I made it quite clear the next day that I was not taking this. The bunk they gave me had somehow ended up on the roof of the building along with all the caretaker's underwear and bras spread across it. I slept next to Naruto from then on.

I had often been sought after for adoption for some reason. Clans in particular seemed to have come in the first week I had come to live at the orphanage looking for me. However, they all left after they found out it would have had to be a joint adoption with Naruto-nii. Thank the Hokage for setting that up. Naruto was upset by this. Whether it was because he didn't like that people wanted to adopt me and not him or because he was the reason we weren't adopted, I didn't know. I felt horrible for it and it made me dislike the villagers more. He was sulky and wouldn't talk to me for a week, but suddenly bounced back to his joyful self.

It was about this time that I got my first letter from my Nee-chans. It was also the moment I realized that although I could speak amazingly, I could not read or write at all. So, I held onto the letter and tried asking the caretakers to teach me how to read and write. They weren't any help as they were still upset about previous pranks Naruto and I pulled on them. So, I did the only thing I knew to do: wrote a letter back in English. It didn't occur to me that no one else understood a thing it said until Naruto pointed it out before I sent it. He thought it was pretty cool that I 'created' a new language. So, he told me that if I taught him English than he would teach me how to read and write since he had already learned some from Jiji. I agreed readily.

We both learned pretty quickly. Naruto seemed to catch onto the speaking part better than the writing, but became adept at English in about a year. I was much the same when it came to reading and writing the main language. We ended up speaking English more often than not because of the funny expressions we'd get from onlookers. To them it was gibberish, but to us it was a secret language just between family.

I also told Naruto about his heritage. I only knew the basics told to me by Shizune and Tsunade, but it was enough for him to understand he was much more significant than he believed. I told him of Uzushiogakure and why our clan had been destroyed. I told him of how his mom must have lived here in Konoha, therefore surviving the clan's slaughter, and eventually had him only to have died sometime after. He seemed a little skeptical about this, telling me that the caretakers always said his family abandoned him. Appalled, I mollified his worry by stating that all Uzumaki have trademark red hair—except him since he was a half—and that I had never seen anyone else in the village with it, so they must have been lying. He was happy yet sad at this news. It meant his mom hadn't abandoned him, but it also meant his mom really was dead.

Naruto also learned about how I had survived the slaughter by being sealed away and then later came to Konoha. His main reaction was based off of finding out I was technically fourteen years older than him. I teased him about it, but he insisted that he was still the oldest. After finding out about everything, he did end up being a little clingier to me though. Not that I minded.

I showed him our clan symbol, which seemed to be a common trademark throughout Konoha like on the flak jackets ninja wore. This seemed to prove to him that Uzumaki's were an important and strong clan and that he was therefore important and strong, despite what other people may think. This knowledge really seemed to boost his self-confidence and ego. He and I ran out and bought clothing that had the Uzumaki symbol on it and wore it proudly.

If we were dumb kids, we would have ran around telling people of our clan and expect them to suddenly respect us. We made that mistake only once with the caretakers of the orphanage. They pointblank called us liars, having never heard of Uzushiogakure or the Uzumaki clan, and didn't give us dinner. For me it was very off putting to continually notice that barely anyone, except other clans, knew of our history. The Hokage, when I asked one day, told us that although for me the fall of Uzushio had only been a few years ago, for everyone in this village it had been almost two decades. Citizens didn't have much knowledge on foreign ninja villages and most ninjas alive now had been infants or young children when the Uzumaki had been slaughtered. No one really knew about us anymore.

Naruto and I made a silent agreement to become strong to make people recognize us and the clan once more. After all, it was only a road step to Naruto's dream to become Hokage.

We found our own secret training ground accidentally one day. We were playing and Naruto tripped into a little cave opening on the Hokage Mountain. We explored by following the cave until we reached this extremely large open space that had the ceiling of the cave opened to a wide circular skylight. Under the skylight it seemed grass and other plants had grown, including very large trees that branched up to the opening. There was even a small underground water source that seemed to be a slow moving river. To claim the cave as ours, we carved the Uzumaki symbol into the largest tree and went there to train from then on.

I taught him all the chakra exercises Tsunade-nee told and showed me. Naruto had yet to 'find' his chakra and unlike me, took a while to grasp onto it. I monitored his chakra by closing my eyes and watching him with my glowing world, which I had dubbed chakra sense. This was when I found something really strange about Naruto that I had never seen in any other person before.

When I saw Naruto's chakra, there were two chakra colors in his system. Inside his prominent blue were slivers of red that stemmed from something on his stomach and mixed into his chakra. Curious, I explained my chakra sense to him then told him about the two chakra colors. He knew nothing about it. My head supplied the answer for this red chakra as _fox_. I had no idea what that meant though so…we just left it at that.

Naruto raised his chakra control slowly. It took him two months to be able to concentrate his chakra into the small leaves to begin sticking them to his head. By then I had advanced to tree walking, which I was having little luck in.

One time Naruto overtaxed himself too far and depleted his blue chakra completely. This was when I witnessed the change to the red chakra. Instead of blue being prominent, red was. Instead of red slivers, there were blue slivers. The first time this happened, it scared both of us. Naruto's eyes were glowing red, but nothing really happened other than his light scratches healing up. I asked him how he felt and he just said itchy and a little irritated, but fine. After a half hour, his blue chakra replenished and the red chakra receded again.

We did this process for a few weeks. Naruto would practice to exhaustion and then his eyes would go red with a slitted pupil. The more often it happened, the less he said he felt the effects of it. He wasn't itchy or even irritated anymore, just more energetic than normal. Once we realized this, we decided to experiment around with the different chakra. At first, he couldn't use it unless he was exhausted. After he got used to it, he was able to pull on it sometimes. I told him to not pull on it for too long because I was afraid of what would happen if the red chakra completely overtook his blue chakra. So, Naruto practiced with it, but I always watched to make sure he didn't lose his blue chakra slivers completely. The red chakra was wilder than blue chakra and harder to do chakra control techniques with. Mastering the leaf exercise with blue chakra then gave Naruto the goal to master it with the red chakra.

That's how most things went from then on. Whatever we learned, he learned twice. After a year we both mastered walking on the trees and started on water walking. We blocked the cave entrances so that there was less a chance of anyone else finding our cave. We opted to enter and exit by the large trees that grew up to the skylight since we could just climb with chakra now. The skylight itself just looked like a large group of bushes above ground. The bushes were actually the tips of the trees sticking out, but it deterred anyone from noticing the cave at all.

We taught each other many other things. I taught Naruto songs in English that I would randomly think of. We ran a lot and sung while we ran. It's surprisingly hard and a great breathing exercise as well as a way to increase our already amazing stamina. Naruto taught me how to swim which became my favorite thing to do. We'd take a dip in the cave's underground river every day after we trained. He also taught me how to make traps to prank people and how to soften my footsteps so not to be heard. The first two years that we came to live with each other, it was about learning about and with each other. We became really close and I considered him more of a brother than just a cousin.

When Naruto turned five, things changed.


	12. Chapter 11

"Okay, Naruto. If you win the next card game then I'll listen to any one request of yours. If I win, you have to tell me how you and Hoshi keep avoiding my ANBU to get inside my office unnoticed _and_ you have to use the door from now on," the Hokage said exasperated.

Naruto glared down at the cards placed on the Hokage's desk. Upon him turning four, we had found out he had astounding luck when it came to card games. I had also found out the library had E-rank jutsus available and checked out the few scrolls. We had gone through so many chakra control exercises, we were getting bored.

It was a challenge itself to teach ourselves hand seals. To put it simply, we sucked at them. Naruto was even better than me, mastering henge in two weeks. I just could not coordinate my small stubby toddler fingers the way I wanted them to go. Eventually, I got a little more creative in trying to perform a simple henge. I used my chakra sense to see how the chakra flowed inside me when I did manage to get the hand seals correct. Then I memorized the flow and spent a few days trying to replicate the same flow without hand seals. I could henge without so much of a thought now. It was ingenious and extremely lazy of me, but it worked.

Anyway, the point is that we could henge and Naruto and I weren't that bad at card games. Casinos were not our enemy. We were officially rich and had one of our pillows back in the orphanage stock full of our winnings. Thankfully, Tsunade-nee only rubbed off the love of gambling to me and not her bad luck.

With our new found money and our somewhat independence, we wanted out of the orphanage. Our only problem was that we weren't allowed until we became academy students. The earliest someone could get into the academy was six, although most started around eight. Eight, let alone six, was not early enough for us. Naruto was about to become five and I just turned four.

So here we are, gambling with Hokage-jiji in order to win a 'simple' request. We started small by letting him win a few times to boost his confidence. We lost pranking privileges towards the Hyugas because of this (not that we were allowed to in the first place). They didn't like having their hot springs filled with blue dye. They also didn't like having blue skin. It was a big loss to not be able to prank our favorite targets—they had the best reactions—but it would be worth it if we could enter the academy early.

"I fold," the Hokage groaned out a few minutes later. "I believe I owe you a request now."

Naruto grinned and I jumped up hugging him in joy. "We want to start the academy a year early!"

Jiji sputtered a moment before leaning forward and folding his hands seriously, "I would not recommend that Naruto. Starting early can cause detrimental effects on your mental health."

"Huh? I didn't get a thing you just said," Naruto scratched his cheek.

"What I mean is that starting so early is bad for you. You only have to wait another year before you start. What's one more year?"

I coughed.

He looked to me then back at Naruto. "Or two years?"

"It means a longer time at the orphanage!" Naruto yelled. "We want to leave it already!"

The Hokage sighed and sat there contemplatively for a few moments. I wrung my hands nervously and Naruto looked like he was about to die from anticipation. Suddenly Jiji grumbled something unintelligible and pulled out a scroll. Writing some long detailed paragraph, he handed the drying scroll to Naruto. "I'll agree to your request. But! Only Naruto can start a year early. I'm sorry, Hoshi, but I just can't let someone start the academy at four. You'll have to start with everyone else your age."

"But that means I can't leave the orphanage with Naruto!" I cried.

"Now, now. I never said anything about that, did I? You both are in a joint adoption so if Naruto ended up leaving the orphanage, he can take responsibility for you. You'll have to sign a few papers and prove to me that you can take care of yourselves though. Is that okay?"

"YES!" I squealed and both Naruto and I ran and hugged Ojii-san tightly.

"I still have to test you both," the Hokage admitted. "You'll be assisted by orphanage funds and you'd still get your weekly stipend from what Naruto's mom left, but do you have enough to rent an apartment or buy daily groceries?"

I snickered. "Don't worry about money, 'Jii-san. We have our ways."

"I don't want to know," he mumbled. "You'll have to learn how to cook and do your own house chores too."

"I can cook!" I said excitedly.

Naruto paled. "No, I'd rather not die. I'll cook."

"That was only once," I muttered. "Fine. I can learn to do the house chores and such. I'll be stuck at home while Naruto's at the academy anyway."

The Hokage nodded. "I guess you will handle things as you go. Here's a list of apartments and homes for rent or sale."

We stared down at the list he handed us curiously. I spoke up, "What's the difference between rent and sale?"

"Rent is paying a small price every month to the owner for as long as you live there. Sale is buying the place for a large price only once and becoming owner of the place you bought."

"Sale it is then," Naruto said. "I don't want to pay to live somewhere more than once, let alone every month. That's too much trouble."

"That's understandable," the Hokage said. "But, can you afford any of these places?"

"I told you not to worry about money. We're fine," I responded. "Can we go look at the places in person and then choose?"

"Go ahead. Make sure you come back by the end of the day and tell me so we can make this official."

"Race you!" Naruto snatched the list from me sticking his tongue out and ran from the room.

I stood stiff before bolting after him. "No fair! You had a head start!"

We spent a few hours looking at apartments, but no one seemed to want us there so we looked at different houses. We eventually found a really nice but small traditional house bordering the Hokage mountain and short walk away from our training ground. The house itself only had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a small living room. It was quaint and the property was large so we could add on when we were older. It was hidden mostly in a forest so we didn't have neighbors, which was nice.

The previous owner was an old man who had given us the evil eye, but once we showed him how much we were willing to pay he lightened up. The home was surprisingly cheaper than we expected—only a million ryo. We took the contract back to the Hokage and he helped us fill it out.

A week passed and we started moving into our new home. We had some ANBU begrudgingly help us move in furniture picked out by yours truly. I'd say the orphanage was sad to see us go, but that'd be a lie. I'm positive the caretakers threw a party once we left.

Naruto and I ended up both sharing the master suite and turning the second bedroom into a guest room. We had been too used to sleeping in each others company at the orphanage. We were four and the bed was huge, so why not? Plus we liked cuddling.

Naruto started the academy the following week on his birthday and I started a garden to pass time while he was gone. The next month consisted of Naruto complaining about schoolwork. None of the other kids were 'cool' enough for him. This was a blatant lie on his part, but I knew not to say anything about it. His class hadn't done anything with chakra yet and most of the school day consisted of history, theory, and math. He absolutely hated it. The only thing that Naruto found enjoyable was the taijutsu class where they began learning very basic defensive forms.

When November came, something unimaginable happened.

* * *

"I don't want to!" I screamed.

"Come on, please," Naruto begged. "I'll show you some of the forms from the Academy that I learned."

"You barely know them yourself," I retorted. "And even so, I wouldn't! This is just mean."

"Not anymore mean than dyeing the Hyugas' skin blue," he countered.

"True," I mumbled. "Okay, I guess I'll help. I just have to find where their well is, right?"

"Yup! While their distracted by me, I want you to pour this into their well water, okay?" He pulled out five huge containers of white powder. I sighed and took the bottles.

"The poor Uchiha," I bemoaned. "Their asses will never be the same again."

Naruto snorted. "They deserve it. Their stupid police force keeps blaming me for things I didn't do! Why do they keep thinking it's me breaking into the girl's public baths?"

"You broke into the girl's bathhouse!?" I screeched. "Why wasn't I invited?"

"It wasn't me, I swear! Otherwise you would have come, hands down," he declared. "In fact, that's a good idea. Let's do that later."

"Does this mean we aren't going to prank the Uchiha's?" I asked.

"Oh, no. They are still getting what's coming. When you hear screaming and see a horde of policemen pass, run in and finish it. Be back in a half hour," he waved and ran off.

Fifteen minutes later, a good two dozen black haired Uchihas ran screaming out of the district smelling like skunk. I didn't even question how Naruto managed that as I plugged my nose and snuck into the Uchiha compound. Another fifteen minutes later, I was pouring the five containers of powdered laxative into their well water and then running the hell out of there before I got caught. The Uchihas were going to be feeling like crap all week. Hehe.

Naruto and I eventually met up back at the house and prepared to head to the woman's baths that night. However, something strange caught my attention. The streets were oddly bare and I felt as if we were being watched. I grabbed Naruto's shoulder stopping him in the middle of the road.

"Hm? What is it, Hoshi-chan?" he asked nonchalantly with his arms behind his head.

I closed my eyes and used my chakra sense to look around. Just as I suspected, there were several chakra signatures around us hidden. Most were civilian chakra levels, but I noticed one slightly higher level. It was probably a chunin. What caught my attention was the weapons each of them were carrying as they stalked around us from behind nearby buildings.

"We're in trouble, Nii-chan. Big trouble," I blanched. There were no police around right now because we had just pranked them either. They were probably washing out the smell of skunk as we speak.

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

The group of men chose that time to run out at us. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a shocked Naruto's hand and bolted north while dodging the big men. After a moment, Naruto began pulling me along instead as we ran through allyways. I blinked, flashing the chakra sense. Lots of men were coming from our left.

"Go right!" I yelled. Naruto pulled me right and we ran through another ally.

I blinked again and this time called left when suddenly I was yanked back and pulled from Naruto. He abruptly stopped at turned back to see me being choked by a lean middle aged man. "Hoshi!" Naruto shouted as he charged and tackled the man off of me. I gasped for air and slowly pulled myself off the ground. I watched as several more men entered the alleyway blocking both sides.

Naruto wasn't doing too badly in beating the crap out of the civilian until he was pulled off of him by another. "Payback, demon brat!" the other man held a knife. Finally grabbing my bearings, I ran forward and pulled chakra into my hand and pulsed it as I punched the man in the balls. All's fair in love and war, after all. His scream turned into a girlish wail before he passed out.

I had started trying to apply chakra to my muscles then pulse it on Tsunade-nee's recommendation in her last letter. So far, I could only get it to work two out of three times. The third time usually backfired with a long lasting burning sensation in my chakra charged appendage. It was the epitome of pain and I hated it, but I had to practice to get the chakra burst to have the right timing. Thankfully, this time it worked.

Seeing the man's obvious loss of his nuts, the rest of the men subconsciously covered their private area and let go of Naruto temporarily. It was enough time for him to get back up and finish his own target with a punch to the face. Two down, many more to go. I had no qualms about aiming for the guys' balls since I had no fighting style or taijutsu training before. All I had was three years of practiced chakra control which didn't give me much other than a two out of three chance of a chakra enhanced punch. Naruto was better off than me. He had some academy training in him, if only a little. He took up a defensive stance which I mimicked but had no idea what to do with.

We were beaten horribly in less than a minute and it pissed me off. Naruto was held down and punched repeatedly in the gut while I struggled in another man's grip. I had tried another chakra punch only to hit the backlash this time and was quaking horribly on the ground waiting for the burning to pass.

"Just kill him already," one yelled and I screeched in anger trying to get free. Naruto was fighting to stay conscious and was now covered in developing bruises.

"No," the one with the chunin level chakra walked up with what I recognized to be a kunai. "Fucking monster needs to suffer loss like we did."

A sudden coolness pressed against my throat and I stared into the brown eyes of my assailant. I felt the pressure increase and I whimpered as blood trickled down my neck.

"No! **L**e**t** h**e**r **GO**!" Naruto growled, red eyes glowing, as a searing alarm went off in my head. My chakra sense went haywire as I witnessed Naruto's blue chakra shrink into nonexistence.

Then everything went to hell.


	13. Chapter 12

It was like the world had turned red. The darkened night was illuminated by the chakra oozing from Naruto's pores. It was pooling on the ground, building up around him, and burning anything it touched. I didn't—couldn't see anything other than him. One moment he was on the ground bruised and broken and the next he was ripping and thrashing and _killing._ Blood and guts painted the alley and where I was had become the only area kept untouched. I don't know if it was shock, fear, or simply a morbid fascination that stopped me from looking away, but it was brutal _murder_. There was barely anything left of them except fleshy pieces strewn everywhere. And the blood, so much blood.

The first had been beheaded and the head rolled until it was stomped on and smushed. The second was clawed to pieces. Another punched to death. A few were just flung around to smash repeatedly into the walls. One was simply ripped in half. The civilians didn't stand a chance. Any blade they had just melted upon touching the red chakra.

I watched as Naruto stood after butchering the civilians. He headed towards me and the last man, who continued to hold the kunai to my throat and was shaking in terror. "S-stand back! Or I'll k-kill her!"

Naruto paused, sneering and growling. He glared harshly at the man while clenching and unclenching his hands. As he was standing still, I finally took in his form. He was covered by the red chakra and it was bubbling around him in the shape of a cat—no, a fox. The chakra tail started swishing as he scrutinized his target.

Wait a minute…a fox! Hadn't my mind supplied that his red chakra was from a fox when I first noticed it? Then what was this fox that—

* * *

_I grabbed my blue teddy and tiptoed down the hallway, peeking into the last room where I heard music echo from. Bradly was lying on the futon with his laptop hooked up to the T.V. and was watching another anime show. I opened the door a crack only for it to squeak and draw Bradly's attention. He paused the show and turned around. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be up?"_

_"No," I yawned. "Okay, maybe. Can I watch too?"_

_"You won't even understand what's going on. It's subbed and I'm hundreds of episodes in," he said._

_I quietly climbed up onto the metal bunk bed, wrapped a blanket around me, and refused to move. He sighed and started typing on the computer. "What are you doing?" I asked._

_"If you're going to watch, I might as well restart it from the first episode. I'm not pausing it every five seconds so you'll have to keep up with the subs. That ok?"_

_"Uh huh," I nodded. "What's it called?"_

_"Naruto. You'll like it. It's about a bratty kid, just like you," he teased. I stuck my tongue out at him and snuggled into the bed sheets waiting for the show to start._

* * *

_'Twelve years ago, a nine-tailed fox suddenly appeared. Its tails lashed out, smashing mountains, and sending tidal waves crashing to the shores.'_

_The T.V. showed a giant fox with nine tails snarling, jumping, and crushing trees._

_'The ninja rose up to defend their villages.'_

_Many ninjas appeared on screen, some injured, and others getting ready to attack the giant fox._

_'Hold the attack and wait for the 4th Hokage!' someone yelled._

_'It's getting closer! Don't let it near the village!' another shouted._

_Suddenly, a giant toad with a pipe in his mouth and giant swords on his back appeared with a man standing on its head._

_'One shinobi faced the nine-tailed fox in mortal combat. He sacrificed his life to capture the beast and seal it in a human body.'_

_The man put his hands close together and a bright light engulfed the screen._

_'This ninja is known as the 4th Hokage.'_

_A blonde baby surrounded by candles and with an inked seal on his stomach appears crying before the screen blacked out._

* * *

My eyes refocused and my mouth dropped. Naruto. That baby was Naruto. I'd recognize that blonde hair and whiskers anywhere. Heck, Bradly even said his name as the title of the T.V. show. That meant the fox, the nine-tailed fox, the _kyuubi, _is sealed inside him. It made so much damn sense now! The red chakra, the way people treat him, his current form...

The kunai dug farther into my neck when Naruto took a step forward. I pushed myself as far back away from the blade as I could. "That's right, demon! Back! Or else!"

Anger coursed through me at the man's words. I chakra charged my leg muscles and stomped down on his right foot, crushing it. In the small second he yelped, I snapped my hands up and shoved the arm holding the kunai away from me. Then I snatched the kunai from him and swung backwards in a circle, slicing the chunin's stomach open. Naruto took that moment to rush forward and bash his fist _through_ the man's skull. The body fell to the ground.

Loud alarms resounded through the village just as Naruto rushed to me, eye color wavering between blue and red. The kyuubi's chakra started receding back in as Naruto ripped a part of his tattered shirt off and wrapped it around my bleeding neck. Just as he was finishing tying the knot, masked ANBU dropped into the ally and surrounded us on all sides. Scared, I clung onto Naruto.

I felt Naruto's chakra spike again in preparation for another possible fight. However, the ANBU must have felt it too. One of them quickly pulled out a small square of a sheet and placed it on Naruto's forehead. I watched the kyuubi's chakra recede completely. There weren't even any slivers of red left over. Naruto's eyes rolled backwards and he tersely passed out in front of me.

I freaked and burst forward blocking him from the view of the ANBU. "Get away from us!" I screamed at them, bloody kunai held in front of me protectively. The hysteria and terror that had been held off by shock had finally caught up to me and I started bawling. I needed to block them or barricade them or _something_. They had to stay away. They just had to. I couldn't let them take Naruto. He was all I had left. He was my only family and I couldn't let anyone hurt him.

So I glared and shifted every time one of them moved. I closed my eyes and let my chakra sense see for me. It was a 360 degree vision that could see them even if my eyes couldn't keep up. Following each chakra, they were everywhere. There were even more ANBU than there had been civilians. I also noticed that the square sheet connected to Naruto's forehead had a foreign chakra pulsing, invading his system. I turned thoughtlessly and yanked it off. The kyuubi's chakra slowly returned but only in slivers as it is normally. Naruto's slightly burned skin started to heal as well.

I slipped slightly on the bloody ground when I turned back around to face the masked shinobi. My blue beanie also fell off, my red hair tumbling all over me. One of the many ANBU took that moment to rush at me and pulled the kunai from my hand in a quick swipe. Pissed, I rammed my knee upwards only for it to be blocked and I got restrained. I tried biting and clawing with my nails, but it had no affect on the masked man. So instead I reach and grasped onto Naruto and refused to let go. "Nii-chan, wake up! Wake up! _Please_!"

"Calm down. We aren't going to hurt you. You're safe now," a deep monotone voice came from the dog masked man that held me.

I growled and struggled some more. Like hell I was listening to them! "Let me go! Let us go!" I repeated angrily.

He simply ignored me, reaching for Naruto as well. I bit his outstretched arm until it bled. "Don't touch him! I'll kill you!" I snarled as I continued to bite him.

"Violent little thing," another masked person guffawed out. "Knock her out."

A small pressure on the back of my neck was felt when my right shoulder blade abruptly tingled. My capturer grunted and I was dropped. I snapped my eyes open and actually looked this time to see the ANBU who had restrained me was sporting a blistering hand. My right shoulder blade continued to prickle and I backed into Naruto and hugged him to me, unsure of what to do.

A groan from Naruto alerted me to him waking. "Hoshi-chan…?" he mumbled sitting up. "What happened? Why's your hair out? Who are these people?"

I glared at the ANBU again and knowing there was no way escaping this, bit out, "We'll come willingly, but we get to stay conscious and I get to stay with Naruto-nii."

The dog ANBU nodded curtly and walked towards us. I snubbed him and led a highly confused Naruto over to the purple haired ANBU instead. Naruto wisely kept his mouth shut, but managed to give everyone a dirty look before we were shunshined out of the flesh covered ally.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Think I should clear some things up. Hoshi is a girl just in case you somehow did not catch that. From what I can tell Tsunade is not coming back to Konoha for a while and ****_probably_**** not until she does in canon. Sorry to those that asked about if she was coming back soon :( This is may subject to change.**

**Also, I'd like to note I haven't thought of any romance yet let alone thought of starting it anytime soon. This may also be subject to change. If you have any recommendations for ****_any _****pairings, go ahead and let me know in a review and I'll take them into consideration for later.**

**If you have questions about the story, I'd be glad to answer to help clear any confusing things up. I've edited a bit since I messed up some dates, but it's nothing to go back to check for. And please review! I love reviews and your input does help with writing future chapters. Thanks for reading! :D**


	14. Chapter 13

We were dumped in a small windowless room with the dog ANBU of all people to watch us. I was currently glaring daggers at him wondering if all of this was punishment for pranking the Uchiha earlier today. I bet it was. No, I _knew_ it was. The ANBU had a very faint Uchiha chakra signature in one of his eyes to prove it. It was weird to see two chakra signatures in a person that wasn't Naruto, but it was definitely there.

There was also a very large amount of chakra signatures in the room next door to ours. In fact, I believe we are in that room's closet. One of the chakra signatures was Hokage-jiji. It seemed pretty stressed and he flared his chakra angrily every once in a while. I also noticed a Hyuga and Uchiha in there that I recognized from pranking their clans often. The other signatures were as various as they come.

"Pst," I nudged Naruto who had fallen asleep on my lap. "Wake up."

"_I'm awake!_" he cried in English as he jerked up and ended up head-butting me. I slammed my hands to my now aching forehead and rubbed it profusely to ease the pain. Having your cranium slammed in by another head is not pleasant. Sadly, this was a common occurrence and happened more often than I'd like.

"_If you weren't, you are now. How's your head?" _I asked poking the reddening skin near his temple.

"_I'm fine!"_ Naruto replied while looking around. "_Why'd you wake me up? I thought something bad happened."_

"_Thought I should give you an update," _I said. "_Their _chakra_ is all riled up right now. _Ojii-san_ feels like he's about to blow a casket. Oh, and dog-mask won't stop staring at you. It's creepy."_

Naruto threw the ANBU an uneasy look before turning back to me. _"I wish you didn't tell me that," _he whined.

I snickered and shrugged my shoulders. Some of my hair tumbled down and I frowned at the red strands. "_I miss my hat_," I murmured. "_When do you think they'll let us back out?"_

"_Soon, I hope. I need to use the bathroom,"_ he complained as he shifted uncomfortably.

I leaned over and grabbed one of his hands. Inspecting them, I pealed some dried blood off. "_You need a bath," _I stated, "o_r at least a change of clothes."_

Naruto looked at the flaking blood that coated him. His face turned somber and he faced away from me. "_I killed them," _he said. "_I killed them and I tore them to pieces."_

I remained quiet for a second trying to think of something to cheer him up. After a moment I bumped his shoulder playfully, "_You beat my record of kills at least."_

It was a crappy attempt at a joke and I knew it, but he gave me a small smile anyway. "_Do you think I'm a monster? A demon?" _Naruto suddenly asked. He turned and looked me straight in the eyes with so much desperation in his face; I wanted to go re-murder the already dead men for causing this.

"_No,"_ I said firmly.

_"Were you scared_?_" _He added quickly.

"_It would be a lie if I said no,"_ I watched him lower his head sadly, "_but I wasn't scared of you. I was scared of the men and the _ANBU _and the whole situation."_

Naruto shot his face towards me wide eyed before his lip quivered and I saw him holding back tears. "_Really_?"

"_Really_," I grinned. "_I'd never be scared of you_, Nii-chan!"

"_But I killed all those men!" _he exclaimed while waving his arms around to emphasize the statement. "_You don't even seem bothered!"_

I gave him a deadpan stare. "_And what would have happened if you hadn't?"_

He paused.

"_We would have died," _I said bluntly. "_They would have killed me and made you watch. Then they would have killed you."_

_"But…"_

_"It was a matter of do or do not and you did! You saved us! Don't feel guilty about killing them when they were going to do the same thing to you!" _I stood and yelled loudly.

My voice echoed the room before being followed by silence. Even the chakra signatures in the area stilled. Naruto seemed to be staring at me while taking in what I just screamed and the dog ANBU…he was just standing there as usual. Quite awkwardly I might add.

The closet door was slammed open and a slightly worried looking blonde man peaked in. "Is everything okay in here?"

"_So now they come in,"_ I mumbled. "_Unless you're here to feed us, give us a bathroom break, or let us out____—_go away. I'm having an important conversation here."

The blonde gave me a blank stare bordering on confusion and I realized I just said all that in English. Sighing I said again, "We're hungry and need to go bathroom."

"Oh." He walked out without another word. Jerk.

A few minutes passed and Naruto nudged me. I leaned against his shoulder as he expressed, "_I gotta tell you something. You can't tell anyone, okay?"_

I murmured an agreement wondering what he seemed so worried about.

"_I met something—er, someone—earlier today when we were being…attacked. You know my red chakra?"_

I nodded into his shoulder.

"_It's not really mine. It's the _kyu—_" _he paused and glanced at the ANBU, "—uh_…nine-tailed fox's chakra. He is pretty much living in my gut. I thought that you should know."_

My breath hitched before I snuffled a small laugh. He waited for my response as I continued giggling. Eventually he scowled at me, "_It's not funny. This is serious."_

"_Sorry, it was the way you said it—that was all," _I managed to say._ "So you have a fox in your gut, huh?"_

_"I'm guessing you're not bothered by what I just said since your laughing," _he replied dryly but he seemed less tense because of my reaction.

I sighed happily. I had thought I was going to have to tell him myself some time and I had no idea how. I had been worried about how he'd react. And now here he is, telling me, and wondering how I'd react to the news instead. It was kind of ironic. "_I'm not bothered at all. I actually was told about your tenant earlier today by the voices and visions I told you about before. I had been planning on telling you after we got out of here," _I explained.

Silence.

"_So, what was meeting a giant demon like_?" I asked.

"_We mostly just yelled at each other_," he admitted. "_And I think he tried to kill me."_

_"Oh." _Guess I should have expected something like that._ "What'd you yell at each other about?"_

_"Uh, I guess you could say I wasn't really happy to find out there was a demon sealed inside me."_

_"I'd probably be too," _I commented._ "Especially if no one told me."_

_"Yeah."_

_"You blamed him for the civilian's treatment to us, didn't you?" _I accused.

He twitched,_ "Maybe."_

_"Well, it's not his fault. The civilians chose to be mean on their own," _I chastised_. "He was just the indirect cause."_

_"He shouldn't have attacked the village anyway. If he hadn't done that then none of this would have even happened," _he moped._  
_

_"Did you ask why he attacked Konoha?" _I delved._ "What if he had a good reason?"_

_"There is never a good enough reason to slaughter people," _Naruto wisely said.

_"No comment," _I drawled out._ "But, still. I'd think you'd know by now not to judge a book by its cover. Just look at us. Villager's hate us, but they don't know us. If they got to know us then maybe they wouldn't hate us. It could be the same with the _kyu—_I mean the nine-tailed fox_."

Another pause.

_"I hate it when you're right_," Naruto pouted. "_Fine. I'll talk to him first and then judge. But! If he still ends up being a heartless demon…I told you so."_

_"Sometimes I wonder who's the oldest here," _I teased_. "Oh right, it's me!"_

_"No you're not! I'm a year older than you!" _he exclaimed.

_"Only physically! I'm mentally older," _I asserted proudly.

_"Being frozen for fifteen years with the mind of a baby doesn't count."_

I smiled having heard this argument a thousand times. Stretching, I let the topic end and we sat in comfortable silence.

* * *

"_We're different_," Naruto declared an hour later_. "I have a demon sealed in me and you have weird visions."_

"_Yeah," _I agreed._ "But, being different is like being special, isn't it? We're special, not different."_

_"Special then," _he nodded. "_Hoshi-chan?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"I really gotta pee."_

_"Me too."_

_"_Hey, dog man! We need to go to the bathroom!" Naruto shouted at the ANBU.

No reply.

"If you don't let us go to the bathroom, you will become our new pranking target!" Naruto proclaimed.

Slight shift in weight, but still nothing.

"_I'll hold him down. You pee on him," _I grinned.


	15. Chapter 14

The ANBU had been trained for anything. Protect the Hokage? Easy. Information gathering? It's a trade. Assassination missions? Doable. Watching the Uzumaki hellions? Uh, no. That was not in their parameters. You'd be surprised what children can do when desperate. Unfortunately, ANBU dog learned that today.

"Attack!" Naruto yelled as we both ran at him. The ANBU stood motionless for a moment unsure of what to do when I tackled him and started climbing up his pants. He didn't seem too bothered and kept his stoniness as he began to pry me off. Naruto decided to use this opportunity to pull down his pants and piss right on dog-mask's leg.

That's when the indifferent ANBU wasn't so indifferent anymore. He started flailing and trying to get me off while running backwards away from Naruto who was now very much relieved. I still needed to use the bathroom though and unlike Naruto, I wanted toilet paper which was not currently available in the closet.

The more the ANBU tried to yank me off, the tighter I held onto him. I didn't exactly trust him not to throw me across the room if he had the chance. So, yeah, I held on for dear life. Naruto pulled up his pants and joined me. We were climbing, kicking, tackling and clawing. The ANBU eventually slipped on pee and we all fell to the ground with a loud thud.

After he didn't move for a while, I removed the white dog mask to reveal another mask; this mask was black and only covered the bottom half of his face. His eyes were closed and there was a nice sized bump forming on his head. I poked his cheek a few times and he didn't move.

"We knocked him out," Naruto whispered and we began giggling at the insanity of it.

A clinking caught my attention and I saw a few scrolls fall out of ANBU dog's pocket. I reached over and grabbed them, inspecting the insides. They were full of squiggly words and I realized this is what sealing looked like. Naruto was taking his sweet time farting on the masked man's head when I started unrolling one of the scrolls quickly. "Nii-chan! Help me tie him up!"

Naruto quickly grabbed the other end of the scroll and in less than a minute, our watcher was wrapped up in one of his own scrolls. We dragged him so he lay in the pee puddle and took this moment to admire our work. Giving each other a quick high five, I grabbed the extra scrolls and stuffed them down my shirt to look at later, and then we ran out of the closet right into a full room of shinobi. I colored red and asked, "Where's the bathroom? I need to go potty."

They all immediately shot up in outrage for some reason. Naruto rushed forward to grab my hand and pulled me out of what I realized was a meeting room. Just as we were running down the hallway looking for a possible bathroom or hiding place, I tripped…on my hair…and face-planted on the ground pitifully.

Naruto turned and outright laughed as I groaned in pain over my poor crushed nose.

"When was the last time you cut your hair?" Naruto asked as I got up.

I stayed silent. Now that I thought about it, when was the last time I cut my hair? I didn't ever have my hair cut while traveling with my Nee-chans because I didn't really need to and I certainly haven't since I came to Konoha for obvious reasons. I wouldn't trust anyone with sharp scissors around me—or Naruto—on a good day. I cut Naruto's hair for that reason. I pulled my hair forward and inspected it. It was long, so long it was down to my ankles. How had I not noticed? I wear a hat except for bedtime, but still!

"You've never cut your hair before, have you?" Naruto laughed.

I reddened. "Just help me find a bathroom," I diverted the question.

When we finally found one Naruto waited outside and I ran in only to be held back by a large hand picking me up the scruff of my shirt. "Found you!" a voice exclaimed. It was the blonde haired ninja that wouldn't let us go to the bathroom before.

"Noooo!" I wailed. "Give me one minute! Please!"

Naruto himself was being held an arm's length away by another shinobi. He gave me a sad look, "Sorry, Hoshi. I tried to stop him."

I reached my hand out longingly towards the bathroom. "So close," I lamented as we were carried away, "yet so far."

* * *

We ended up back in the meeting room only this time we were held up in front of a group of very irritable ninja and an exasperated Hokage-jiji. Naruto glowered at them all and started complaining about being stuck in a room without food or a bathroom break while I just teared up. To me, everything just turned into a blur. I didn't like them staring at us, glaring at us, and I had to pee. I _really_ had to pee and now I just could _not_ hold it anymore.

I wet myself...then I started sobbing from embarrassment.

"See what you did!" I heard Naruto yell at them. "Hoshi, it's okay! Everything's okay! Please stop crying!"

"I hwad to gwuo," I wailed. "I'm s-sowwy!"

I couldn't see through my tears, but apparently I got a lot of people suddenly surrounding me trying to calm me down. It was scaring me and I started panicking calling out for Naruto. Naruto himself was immediately next to me batting off adults who were trying to pick me up or offer me something.

I learned something that day. Tears are a powerful force—one to be reckoned with—and I was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. On the good side, we got out of what could have been some serious trouble. On the bad side, I was coddled by grown adults that I didn't know at all while being soaked with pee.

Later I decided it was a bad thing. It made sense though considering I had a really bad day. I saw more red than I'd ever like to see, I lost my hat, Naruto and I almost died, Naruto ended up having a demon living in his gut, I wet myself, and now I was being fawned over like some lost puppy.

'Jii-san ended up being the one to break everything up. "ANBU Hound, take them home! Everyone else, this meeting is _over_! The seal has already been verified as stable and as you can see they are both perfectly stressed _children_ who just went through a very traumatic endeavor_. _There are to be no more arguments on this topic. Dismissed!"


	16. Chapter 15

After that traumatizing day I tended to stay at home or at our training grounds. On the few occasions that I did venture through Konoha, I made sure it was early in the morning when there were fewer people awake. This was partly because I now deemed adults scary and partly because Naruto and I had a stalker.

ANBU Hound had become a common part of our lives. When I say that, what I truly mean is that he hides in trees and watches us most days while occasionally being replaced by other random ANBU's. Naruto was less bothered because he couldn't sense like I could, but I hated it. Since me and Naruto had spent so much time with Hound while in the closet, I had accidentally memorized his chakra signature. I had only done that with Naruto, Tsunade, Shizune, Tonton, Hokage-jiji, and Teuchi because of how often Naruto and I ate Ramen there. I had memorized whole clan signatures before like the Uchiha, Hyuga and even the Nara because they were so distinct, but not any of them individually.

When I memorize a chakra signature, that particular person's chakra is permanently in my head. It's there even when I'm not using my chakra sense. I'm not 'seeing' them in the glowing world; I just feel their chakra presence all the time. I even feel Tsunade-nee where ever she is. The best way I can explain it is that I don't know where they all are, but if their chakra suddenly disappeared then I'd notice. But, if the person is nearby, I seem constantly aware of them. It doesn't bother me while I'm awake but...

Trying to go to sleep with the new chakra blaring out so close by is like trying to sleep in a minefield of explosive tags—it just doesn't happen. I realized I never had this problem with Naruto which I was currently thankful for since this was hell. I guessed it was because Naruto is family. It was like my head expected him to be there. ANBU Hounds chakra though? I had to adjust. How does a sleep deprived chakra sensing four-year-old do that?!

"STOP STALKING US!" I screamed up at a tree. Hound's chakra wavered uncomfortably before be expelled some and shunshined to another tree. Irritated, I stomped over to the new tree and began yelling all over again.

What can I say? I was tired, it was the middle of the night, and I didn't want to handle another day with no sleep. It had already been a week since he started to 'guard' us. Apparently, the group attack on Naruto and I had given Hokage-jiji quite a scare and he no longer wanted us to be alone until we could protect ourselves (not that we didn't protect ourselves last time). This basically meant we were stuck being babysitted until we passed the academy and became genin. What made me mad was that we hadn't even been told about our new guard. I had to ask why dog-mask was stalking us to learn about it.

Naruto's lucky. He only has to deal with him half of the day. Hound follows him to the academy, but once Naruto gets there safely the ANBU leaves him alone. Instead, he comes back and watches me all day long. I don't even think he sleeps and if he does, it's in the tree.

There was a lot of down sides to this. First and foremost is that I can't sleep yet with his chakra nearby screaming out its presence. Second is that Naruto and I constantly have to talk in English—not that we didn't really do that before. Thirdly, we can't train. We haven't been able to go to our hidden training grounds because what's-his-face would then learn about where it is. Even if we didn't care about that, Naruto and I decided to keep our knowledge about the Kyubi being sealed inside him a secret so that meant no red chakra training. It's not that we don't think anyone else knows; it's more of we want to know if anyone will eventually tell us. I mean, really? He deserved to know this whole time yet no one told him—not even 'jii-san. Naruto had to find out from the fox himself!

Not only that, but this ANBU was hard to avoid. Others we could sneak by like when we snuck into the Hokage's office. Hound seemed to just know where we were and it was vexing me. Then again, I've been annoying him to no end by constantly pointing out where he's hiding. I will never ever lose at hide and seek. I guarantee that.

"Ugh! Just hide your chakra or something. Can you even do that?" I asked up towards the new tree.

The ANBU abruptly dropped down into a crouch in front of me. "I am," he said. "How are you sensing me?"

"I'm not telling you anything!" I shouted. "Just go 'way!"

"No."

"Last time you didn't listen you got peed on," I reminded.

"And you wet yourself," he replied frankly.

I flushed, "S-shut up!"

"How are you sensing me?" he repeated.

"I said I'm not telling you," I snapped. "How do you know where we are all the time?"

"I'm not telling you," he mocked.

My eyebrow twitched. "An exchange then! You tell me and I'll tell you," I offered irately.

He pondered on this then nodded his head. "You first," he responded.

"I accidentally memorized your chakra signature," I said simply. "You're turn."

"Explain," he demanded.

"No. I believe it's your turn," I frowned. I was going to figure out how to sneak by him no matter what.

"…your scent trail," he eventually said.

I snorted. "No wonder you're called hound."

"How…are you not sleeping?" he asked slowly.

"You're chakra obviously," I narrowed my eyes at him. "It's blaringly loud."

"…"

"Buy me a new hat," I suddenly said. "I lost my other one."

"How are you sensing my chakra?" he ignored me.

"Buy me a new hat and I'll tell you," I offered. He was quiet for a while before just jumping back into a tree without another word. I glared at where he was hidden and kicked his tree angrily before heading back inside.

* * *

"_You look like death, Hoshi-chan_," Naruto said the next day. "_Maybe we should take you to a doctor."_

"_I'm fine_," I yawned. "_Tired, but fine. I've managed to start dozing earlier which is an improvement_."

"_If you say so_," he murmured as he pulled some cup ramen out of a cupboard.

_"Oh, I forgot to mention that I found out how to avoid Hound yesterday. He tracks us by smell," _I noted._ "We just got to make sure he can't smell us."_

"_Oh, that's easy! I still have some skunk bombs left from last week's Uchiha prank," _he snickered._ "It was a success by the way. I haven't seen an Uchiha in class all week!"_

"_That was your aim the whole time?" _I flabbergasted._ "Wait. Skunk bombs?"_

_ "My own invention!" _Naruto declared proudly._ "I captured a skunk two weeks ago and well…I have 25cc left of chemical skunk! I just have to make some smoke bombs with it."_

_"I don't think I want to even ask how you managed to get the skunk let alone the spray," _I said thoughtfully. "_However, you just gave me the idea of creating a garden...of poisonous plants. Thank you."_

_"What?" _Naruto asked confused.

_"Well, you changed the smoke bomb into a stink bomb which gave me the idea of turning the smoke bomb into a poison bomb. I won't use it yet—not until I'm _genin_," _I assured him._ "I should probably start by planting some yew…"_

_"This is why you don't cook," _Naruto shuddered._ "You'd end up poisoning it somehow."_

_"I would not! I cook perfectly fine," _I pouted.

"_I'm just teasing you_," Naruto laughed. "_But, if you do end up growing poison, no testing on me."_

I fake gasped._ "I would never!"_

Naruto rolled his eyes and shoved my shoulder playfully as he started cooking. I laid my head down on the kotatsu table drowsily. Hound's chakra flared in the back of my head and I groaned. A few minutes later, Naruto sat across the table and pushed a cup ramen towards me. "_Eat up."_

_"Thanks," _I lifted my head and pulled the cup to me._ "I'll make your bento tomorrow, okay?"_

_"Make extra onigiri_?" Naruto begged with puppy dog eyes. I sighed and nodded while I slurped up some warm noodly goodness.

_"I'll even make them look like pandas if you want_," I added, "_So long as you skunkify Hound so I can actually train or maybe even sleep tomorrow. Deal?"_

_ "I did promise to make him my new pranking target,"_ Naruto grinned_, "and I always keep my promises."_

_"Yeah," _I smiled. "_You sure do_."


	17. Chapter 16

After Naruto finally went to bed, I went outside and into the garden I had started a month ago. It was pitiful at the moment since nothing really had grown. I had bought some seeds to grow some flowers, but only the cosmos and annual phlox seemed to be coming near to bloom. The rest weren't even close and I was kind of disappointed. Maybe I'd head out early today to buy some already grown flowers and some herbs. I had to find a yew and some poisonous plants too.

I brushed through some hedges and walked to the center of my half grown garden. There a nice patch of grass awaited me and I promptly laid down on the soft earth. Running my fingers through the grass blades, I gazed up at all the stars. A star blinked on and off as it floated above my head. I smiled realizing it was a firefly.

* * *

_"Fireflies!" I squealed._

_"Shh! Bradly whispered harshly. "They might be nearby."_

_I shivered and mumbled a sorry before I started chasing the floating lights. Cupping my hands I brought them around a firefly carefully. When I realized I caught one jumped around excitedly and turned to Bradly. "Look!" I whispered happily. "I caught one!"_

_"Uh huh, nice job," he murmured without looking back at me. I pouted and looked down at the ground sulkily only to notice a frog. Grinning I picked the frog up and kissed it. I heard a snort and saw Bradly laughing quietly at me._

_"Trying to find prince charming already?" he teased. I blushed and turned away. "Well…you never know. It didn't work this time because that was a toad."_

_"A toad?" I questioned as I gazed at the struggling frog—er, toad—in my hand. "Oh. I'm sorry toad. I didn't mean to kiss you. I thought you were a prince."_

_I set the toad back down on the ground and as an apology fed it the firefly I still had cupped in my other hand. As it hopped away I saw its stomach glow and I burst out laughing. _

_A loud bang was abruptly heard and Brady yelled out, "Shit! Run!"_

_My eyes widened in fear as I saw a nearby dumpster got thrown and crashed next to us, the impact knocking me off my feet. Screaming, I jumped back up and ran with Bradly on my heels telling me which way to go._

* * *

I shook my head and stared up at the sole firefly sadly as it flew away. A silent thud and a chakra flare alerted me to Hound crouching next to me. I turned my head towards him only to have a soft something thrown into my face. Sputtering out some fuzz, I pulled away what turned out to be a very soft beanie. I ran my fingers against the thin fabric. It was really soft and also a very pale blue, much lighter than my last hat, and I liked it. A lot.

"Thank you," I whispered as I clutched the hat to my chest. "What's it made of? I've never felt anything this soft."

"Fine chakra threads," he said. I gaped. Chakra-made clothing was not only one of the most expensive things out there to buy, but also really rare because of how difficult it was to make things with it. The maker has to have extremely good chakra control to make the thin threads. Plus, the fabric is self-repairing if fed chakra, about as durable as any blade, light as air, and apparently really soft. Few ninjas could even afford this. Even more notable is that the chakra that I feel inside the hat is his.

"Y-you got this for me? Do you have any idea how much this probably cost?! The chakra inside it is yours too!" I blubbered unsure of how to accept such a nice gift. When I asked him I was only really joking. I never expected him to actually get me a new hat let alone this! I owed him. I owed him _big_.

"I did. I made the chakra thread and give it to a maker. Now, explain how you sense my chakra," Hound commanded.

I nodded vigorously and hugged my new hat tighter, deciding to explain the best I could as a thank you for the gift. "This might sound weird, but I can see or feel everything with my eyes closed if I want. The world becomes black and everything with chakra glows blue. I can memorize chakra signatures that I sense. I accidentally memorized yours and it became a permanent presence in my head.

Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but since you're watching us from so close by all the time, I am constantly aware of _exactly_ where you are. I don't care about your presence during the day, but trying to sleep with a constant blare of chakra nearby screaming 'I'm here' is impossible. I'm getting used to it though. Finally."

"…anything else?"

"Um, if I stretch the chakra sense out, I'm pretty sure I can see as far as I want with it too, although I've never tested that. It doesn't really tire me at all either and doesn't even take any chakra. I've also memorized three clan's chakra signatures as well, but I don't have any of them individually memorized. Like…I can tell there is an Uchiha signature in one of your eyes," I pointed out.

His chakra faltered horribly.

"Should I have not mentioned that?" I said nervously.

"Why have you not told anyone this?" Hound asked.

"I just told you, didn't I?" I raised an eyebrow. "And Naruto knows. You can't tell anyone. It's a secret, okay?"

"The Hokage must be told," he replied monotonously.

"But, you'd be giving away my secret," I frowned. "Only I can do that."

"…"

"I'll sic Naruto on you if you tell," I threatened. His chakra shivered uncomfortably but remained adamant.

"Sorry," Hound said as he abruptly shunshined to a nearby tree. I narrowed my eyes at it. It's not that I minded Hokage-jiji knowing; it was more of it was my own secret to tell. I looked down at my new hat and pet the fabric. I guess I could forgive him this one time.

But…that didn't mean he isn't getting pranked. Promises are to be kept, after all.

* * *

When the sun started to peak the trees around five am, I got up from my patch of grass and tossed my hair into a quick messy bun. Placing the light blue chakra beanie on to hide my red locks, I headed down to the market in the town. ANBU Hound's chakra split into what I recognized to be a shadow clone. The shadow clone stayed behind and Hound himself followed me.

I walked the empty streets watching as vendors set up stalls and stores prepared to open. I was shot a few smiles and waves from them as I passed. Shyly, I waved back. They never seemed to be bothered by me unless I was with Naruto. In fact, they never seemed to recognize me unless they managed to notice my red hair. Their personality was so different when it concerned us and it hurt me to know that. I sadly looked away from them all.

When I reached the Yamanaka flower shop, they had just opened. I quietly walked in and the bells attached to the door chimed. A long haired blonde man who had been leaning down from behind the counter turned his head acknowledging me. "Welcome," he smiled.

I nodded and narrowed my eyes at him when he stood up. It was the same guy that wouldn't let Naruto and I go to the bathroom _twice_. He was the reason I wet myself in front of all those people. I glared. "You…"

"Me?" he questioned now completely observing me.

"You made me wet myself!" I yelled while blushing madly.

A spark of recognition and amusement twinkled in his eyes. "Ah, I apologize about that. I was simply following orders. I hope you're not too mad at me. My name is Yamanaka Inoichi," he held out his hand.

I ignored him and started to grumpily look around the shop. He continued to watch me, his chakra dancing in glee and curiosity even though his face remained blank. I grabbed a wooden wagon and started putting flowers and herbs into it that I recognized. After a half an hour, I pulled the wagon to the counter and asked, "Do you have any _yew_ saplings?"

He gave me a questionable look. "I have never heard of _yew," _he stated. "Can you describe it?"

"Well, it looks like rosemary when it's a sapling. It's a type of tree. It's also very poisonous and fatal if its leaves are eaten. Um…actually, I'm pretty sure everything is poisonous except the red aril around its seeds."

He raised an eyebrow. "I think you mean Ichī. You seem to know a lot about it."

Yay, new vocabulary. "Yeah, do you have any?"

"We don't normally sell trees, only flowers and herbs. I happen to know where you can get some, but only if you tell me why you want it," Inoichi probed.

"To plant," I said bluntly.

"Hm," he glanced over at my wagon. "Only to plant?"

"…currently."

"You're not here to simply buy flowers," he stated. "How old are you?"

I put four fingers up and he nodded, studying me or a few moments. "You cannot buy these."

My mouth dropped, "Why not?"

"You do not know how to handle them. Come by every Tuesday and Thursday morning. You're going to help either me or my wife open the shop—"

"What?!"

"—in exchange, I'll teach you along with my _lovely_ daughter about herbalism and botany," Inoichi continued while ushering me towards the door with a smile. "So I expect to see you then."

I was then pushed out the door and it closed behind me. I stood there confused going over everything I was just told.

"…What just happened?"


	18. Chapter 17

I walked back home sullen. Unless I listened to Yamanaka-san and went to his lessons, then I wouldn't be allowed to buy anything—not even flowers! So unfair. Sometimes, I hate being a kid.

When I arrived home, I felt Hound dismiss his clone and return to his tree. Only an hour had really passed and I checked on Naruto who was still asleep. Yawning, I laid down next to him staring at his sleeping face before I whispered, "Nii-chan, _wake up."_

He didn't move. I sighed.

"_Good mornin', good mornin'! Sunbeams will soon smile through. Good mornin', good mornin' to you~"_ I sung quietly. Naruto groaned and his eyes blinked open tiredly.

"_Five more minutes_," he mumbled as he turned over.

"_Okay_," I rolled off the bed and headed to the kitchen to make his bento. Not long after Naruto shuffled in the room dressed and sat at the kotatsu.

"_I don't wanna go to the academy today," _Naruto whined. _"We're practicing _kunai_ throwing again."_

I pulled some rice out of the cooker and gave him a look of disbelief, "_I thought you loved throwing practice."_

"_I did, but now I'm the worst in class!" _he confessed angrily._ "I don't understand it. Everyone else is doing fine, but every time I think I figured it out, I'm completely wrong again! The teachers won't help me either."_

I put the rice in my hands down, wiped my hands on a dishtowel, and went to sit down at the table to listen. Naruto shook furiously and slammed his hands on the table. "_I can't even practice on my own because no one will let me buy any _kunai_—not even blunt ones! It's not fair!"_

_"Have you tried to _henge_ into the store to buy things?"_ I asked. It worked in casinos, so why not?

"_Tried and failed last week. I accidentally tripped and lost concentration. Ever since, everyone's checked their customers to make sure it's not me under_ henge_,"_ he frowned.

_"I'd try, but I'm not in the academy yet so I doubt they would sell anything weapon-wise to me_," I said sad that I couldn't help.

_"Well, I'm skipping today. They won't care whether I'm there or not anyway,"_ Naruto declared crossing his arms. _"So how are we going to ditch the ANBU? I don't think you want the skunk bombs exploding next to the house."_

_"Hmm,"_ I thought about it. _"Okay, you are going to pretend you're still going to the academy. On the way stink him up, and then run to our training grounds to meet me there."_

"_What about the shadow clone he always makes?"_ Naruto asked.

I paused. "_Uh, he always follows us himself when we leave the house, right? So the clone will be here and…uh…OH! I got an idea."_

* * *

Just as we suspected, when Naruto left Hound created a shadow clone and left it behind to watch me as he followed Naruto to the academy. I inwardly grinned when ten minutes later, I felt Naruto flare his chakra meaning he had done the deed. ANBU Hound had officially been skunked.

Running out of the house, I sped over to the tree that the shadow clone was in and called, "Come down! Hurry!"

The clone immediately dropped down into a crouch and looked around before turning back to me. "What's wrong?"

"Naruto's going to skip school and plans to get you with a stink bomb so you don't follow him!" I blurted and I felt his chakra waver horrified at my words. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you got me my new hat yesterday and I'd feel bad. If you dispel to warn yourself, you might still make it!"

He was silent for a while before he curtly nodded demanding, "Don't leave the house," and then dispelled.

I grinned completely ignoring his previous words and bolted towards the hidden training grounds. Once I got there, I jumped down through the skylight and ran down the tree trunks. I spotted a head of yellow and whooped at the plan's success.

Naruto jogged over once I landed and we gave each other a hive five then cracked up laughing. After Naruto had skunked Hound, I told him to flare his chakra to let me know and then run to the training grounds. When I felt the flare, I would basically tattle on him to get the clone to dispel to warn the original—only it would be too late. Naruto would already have escaped and I wouldn't have anyone to watch over me so I could too. Plus, Hound would be covered in skunk and wouldn't be able to smell us over the stench so he wouldn't be able to find us. It was perfect!

"Hound fell for it, Hoshi! He wasn't suspecting a thing!" Naruto cheered.

"Same! The moment I told him he was going to get skunkified, he dispelled! His chakra was so dismayed at the thought, it was hilarious!" I exclaimed happily. It was weird speaking the main language to each other after so long.

"So what now?" Naruto questioned. "Chakra training or do you want to go swimming?"

I yawned and plopped down onto the ground. "You can if you want. I'm finally going to get some sleep!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Wish I had some kunai to practice with," he mumbled. My back suddenly prickled and that's when _it_ happened.

CLANK.

I blinked in surprise and Naruto's mouth dropped. We were both currently staring at a sole metal kunai that had dropped onto the ground behind me.

"D-did that just…?" I stuttered out.

Naruto nodded silently and closed his mouth, "A kunai just fell out of your back."

"A kunai just fell out of my back," I stood panicky, reverting to English. _"A _kunai_ just fell out of my back!"_

"Calm down!" Naruto jumped forward to pick up the kunai to keep me from accidentally stepping on it. "Maybe it was a fluke."

I bit my lip and turned my back to him. "See if it happens again!" I exclaimed.

"Uh, what do I say?"

"I don't know, you wished for it so wish again," I said impatiently.

"Well, um…I wished for _some_ kunai, not _one_ kunai," he stated. Immediately, I felt the prickly sensation.

CLANK. CLANK.

There on the ground were two more kunai. I looked up at Naruto in disbelief and he was just staring at me stunned. "Did it really—"

"Turn around!" Naruto blurted, tripping towards me. When I did, he pulled the back of my tank top away a bit and inhaled sharply. "Hoshi, there is something really weird on the right side of your back…and it's moving."

I shivered. "W-what? Tell me!"

"It looks like a ton of squiggly words and they keep moving and overlapping each other. The only part that isn't is a swirl that's in the middle of it."

"That sounds like…a seal," I gasped. "And the kunai came out of it?"

"Yeah. I saw it glow red and they just came out," Naruto replied.

"So I have a seal on my back," I said out loud trying to absorb the new information. "How did I not notice that?"

"The same way I didn't notice there was a demon sealed in my gut," Naruto guessed.

I couldn't help but to snicker a bit. "What do you think it does?" I wondered. "You know, other than spitting out free weapons."

Naruto poked the seal a few times, "I dunno. Try channeling chakra there."

Listening to him, I closed my eyes and focused all my chakra towards where Naruto was poking. I felt it tingle strangely and I opened my eyes only to watch the surroundings blur away.

I turned scared and saw Naruto reacting much the same as everything morphed back into shape into a now very dark forest.

"...Naruto, I don't think we're in Konoha anymore."


	19. Chapter 18

SMACK.

"You ran into another tree again, didn't you?"

"It's not my fault!" Naruto exclaimed. "They keep sneaking up on me!"

"Yes, they're totally out to get you," I giggled. "Have your eyes adjusted yet?"

SMACK.

"…Did that answer your question?" Naruto grumbled while rubbing his head.

* * *

We walked for what felt like hours and yet only minutes all at the same time. In the pitch black of the forest, there was nothing to guide us but the stars. Weirder yet, there was nothing out here. No animals or bugs or anything that normally would be in a forest. It was just dark and empty.

Naruto had been surprisingly quiet about the whole situation. After his eyes accustomed to the dark he was alert and looking in all directions even though I told him I couldn't sense anything with my chakra sense. Unlike him, I actually felt quite at…peace? For some odd reason, I was comfortable here and relished in the unfamiliar warmth that the never-ending woods provided.

I closed my eyes happily despite the situation. There was a light breeze that brushed against my skin, the moonless sky brought out the light of the cosmos, and it smelled like flowers –cherry blossoms actually.

"Hoshi-chan, watch where you—"

An abrupt drop in the ground caused me to slip and a loud splash echoed through the silent forest.

"—step…I tried to warn you," Naruto snuffled a laugh.

I rose out of shallow water and blew some fallen wet hair out of my face. "Remind me not to walk with my eyes closed," I grumbled while waddling out of the spring.

"At least you didn't run into a tree," Naruto joked.

I huffed and flicked some water at him, "I think I would have preferred that. I'm soaked!"

Squeezing out my shirt, I lost my footing again. I squeaked grabbing onto Naruto as I fell only to pull him into the water as well. He popped up with a scowl on his face and I covered my mouth to snuffle a laugh. He turned with a glint in his eye, and splashed me so quickly that I got water in my mouth. I spewed it out like a little fountain at him. He fell backwards in laughter to dodge which started a water war. By the time we were done, we both were both exhausted as we lay down in the water.

I grinned over at him glad that he didn't seem as tense about our situation anymore. He never was one to worry too much and it had been strange.

"That is a _big_ tree," Naruto suddenly said pointing upwards. I looked up to where he was pointing and my mouth dropped in awe. The pool of shallow water we fell into held the largest tree I had ever seen. The tree had to be as tall as the Hokage Mountain and at least as wide as one of the heads carved into it.

Naruto and I got up slowly heading to the trunk. Intending to see just how wide the tree was, on impulse, I hugged it to see how far my arms could wrap around the tree's base. It was so wide, I felt like I was practically hugging a flat wall.

"I never thought you'd be a tree hugger, Hoshi-chan," Naruto said from behind me. When I was about to pull away to retort, a humongous root folded out of the ground and wrapped around me causing me to scream in surprise.

"Hoshi!" I turned by head to see Naruto running forward as I was suddenly squeezed tightly and pulled _through the trunk._

My heart sped up and I panicked pulsing chakra around me like a shield. Just as quickly as I was grabbed, I was dropped with a loud thunk onto all fours. Cautiously, I looked around in what was probably the most amazing spectacle I had ever seen.

I stared up into what I realized was the inside of the large tree. Spiraling upwards were shelves and walkways for as far up as the tree reached covered in books, scrolls, and other various things all wrapped in rainbow glowing vines. There was even a nearby shelve of weapons. At the top of this hollowed tree, a familiar red Uzumaki swirl illuminated the room. Glowing lights of many colors floated around as well. Some carried scrolls here and there while they flickered and tweeted as if they were talking to each other.

I walked slowly to the center and spun absorbing everything I saw before I remembered I had just been separated from Naruto. Eyes widening, I turned and rushed back to the solid wooden wall that I had been pulled through. Just as I was about to see if I could push myself back out, Naruto suddenly appeared and fell on top of me.

"Aghhh, stupid tree," Naruto mumbled while he started to get up off me. He blinked in surprise when he saw me, but immediately exclaimed my name and hugged me. "I thought the tree ate you!"

"I'm fine," I amended hugging him back when I realized he had blood on his head. I pulled back and immediately started dabbing the wound with my sleeve. "Nii-chan! Are you okay?! What happened?"

He hissed in pain and moved my hand away. "The tree attacked me! After you got pulled in it just went all commando on me! There were roots everywhere and it wouldn't spit you back out so I started ripping at its bark—which it didn't really like—and it didn't stop until it finally got a hit on me. That's why my head got cut. After that, the roots just disappeared and I was shoved in here," he finished.

I nodded and dabbed his head one more time before we both got up. I grinned and pointed behind me, "Look! A library!"

"In a tree?" Naruto whispered before something caught his attention. "Oh! Weapons!"

I rolled my eyes as he ran over to the pile of metal artillery. Of course that would be the first thing he notices. "Maybe one of these books can tell us how to get back home," I said out loud. Naruto grunted in reply from behind me.

Walking over to the nearest shelf, I pulled out a small scroll and opened it. "Suiton: Water Dragon bullet," I murmured reading the title as I examine the words and images. "Oh! Nii-chan! Look, these scrolls are full of ninjutsu! Wow…that is _a lot_ of hands seals."

"What! Really?" Naruto called, rushing over to where I was. He immediately pulled out another semi-large scroll and read the title. "Baguazhang…it's a taijutsu style!"

"Huh?" I put my scroll away and leaned over his shoulder looking at the intricate drawings and instructions for learning. "Woah, it looks like _airbending_!"

Naruto gave me a questionable look, "_Airbending_?"

I thought blankly at my previous statement. What in the world was airbending? I shrugged not getting any help from my stupid brain. "I dunno. The name just came to me. It's much easier to say than Baguazhang anyway."

"True," Naruto nodded then he handed the scroll to me. "It's too swirly for me. You can try it if you want."

"Swirly?" I raised an eyebrow as I took the scroll. Naruto went on to grab another and I began to read the text in front of me. The style was to emulate the swirl of the whirlpools and 'flow' in and out of the way of attacks. From what I could tell, it was mostly evasion. Interested, I tucked the scroll under my arm to read later.

"This is more like it!" Naruto fist pumped beside me.

"What?" I asked trying to see his scroll.

He just pulled it away with a grin. "You practice that bagaza—er _airbending_. I'm going to learn this!"

"Which is…"

"Uh, doesn't have a name. It's just a ton of different katas. They look way cooler than the academy's sets though! And almost all of them are offense!" he happily exclaimed.

I shook my head at him and walked around some more. After a half an hour, Naruto and I had rejoined each other in the center of the tree and were both laying down reading different scrolls. Naruto seemed to be practicing the katas he talked about. I was personally looking at history scrolls that I found. They were mostly all on Uzushio.

I layed back after I finished with and rolled up another scroll. "Naruto-nii?"

"Yeah?" he grunted out while punching the air in front of him.

"This is cool and all, but how are we going to get home? There isn't a point in learning all this unless we can actually use it," I stated.

Naruto dropped out of his current stance. "I, uh, forgot to mention that…"

I raised a brow. "Mention what?"

Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "While I was getting attacked by the tree these glowing words covered the bark. It was just like the seal on your back, it even moved the same. The swirl on the ceiling is the same too. If I took a bet, I'd say we are inside the seal."

"I can't be inside a seal that is on me, that's impossible! That would be like trying to seal and person inside themself. The only way I can think of someone pulling that off is if their—"

"Mind! Their mind!" Naruto interrupted. "We're in your head!"

"Um," I just stared at him blankly and poked my forehead. "I thought there was a brain in my head, not a forest."

"No! Not like that," Naruto waved his hands. "It's the same as how I met the Kyuubi. He told me I was in my mindscape which was a bunch of sewers."

"Ew," I made a face.

He rolled his eyes and continued, "If the Kyuubi was sealed in me but was in my head…"

"…then maybe this seal is the same and showed up in _my_ head! Nii-chan, you're a genius!" I grinned.

"I try," he stuck his tongue out then suddenly frowned. "Tell that to my classmates, they think I'm a dobe."

"Well, they're wrong."

He gave a small smile, "Thanks. So this means there's a library sealed in you?"

"How convenient," I muttered. "Now how do I leave my mindscape? I gotta get us out of here...and maybe take a few scrolls with us."

Both he and I immediately started picking up scrolls. I grabbed two on history, one on advanced chakra control, and the airbending taijutsu scroll. Naruto picked up his large kata scroll, what I found to be a scroll on weapon throwing, and lastly he went over and pulled out a few more kunai and skuriken to use from the weapons pile.

"I guess we could start by leaving the tree of knowledge," Naruto suggested. "We weren't in here in the first place so the exit probably isn't here."

"Tree of Knowledge, huh? I like it. We're calling it that now on," I smiled while heading to a nearby wall. Seeing that my hands were full, I leaned my back against the wood to see if anything would happen. Almost instantaneously, I started to fold through the tree as I did before and was suddenly standing in the pool of water. Naruto joined me not a second later.

"That was easy," he remarked while looking around at the dark forest. "I liked it better when I could see."

I giggled and started trudging out of the water towards the forest. Naruto followed and eventually took lead. Where we were going, we had no idea. In fact, we somehow ended up back at the Tree of Knowledge twice before we stumbled across anything different.

"That's new," I stared at another tree. This one was smaller than the library, but still pretty big compared to the rest of the forest. That and it was also surrounded by water which was a dead giveaway.

Naruto nodded in agreement walking up to it and morphing through the bark. I followed and came into another hollowed tree. There were floating lights just as before only here the trunk was stacked with rooms instead of shelves. The Uzumaki swirl at the top of the ceiling was also replaced by word 'memories' both in kanji and English which glowed a pale blue.

"Memories? Do you think we can rewatch some of our pranks?" Naruto asked excitedly rushing around looking at different rooms.

I simply nodded calling, "Go ahead," but stayed on the ground floor looking at something slightly disturbing. A door, the largest door, was in front of me covered in chains. Lots of chains. I walked forward and placed my hand against the chain clad door getting wisps of thoughts. An explanation for the airbending was shown. Turns out it was related to another TV show. Who knew? However, most of them were of Bradly and a few of an older Naruto shown on the TV as well.

I scrunched up my eyebrows and tugged on the chains a bit. Was this where all those visions were coming from? I had to know! I yanked some more, but they didn't budge. I actually got an electric shock after a while too. Stepping back, I pouted.

Abrupt laughter drew my attention and I looked up to see Naruto coming out of the one of the rooms crying from laughing so hard. "Y-you had the best perspective of that, Hoshi-chan!" he choked out.

"What'd you see?" I started up some stairs and asked. "I'm guessing a prank?"

"The one where we tied all the Hyuga's boxers to form a mustache on each of the Hokage's faces on the mountain," he called down to me.

"Oh yea! Didn't we throw all their pants into the river as well?" I asked.

"Uh huh!" he ran down to meet me with a large grin on his face. "We should totally watch some pranks whenever we come back here!"

"We gotta figure out how to get out first," I huffed with a smile. "But, sure! You're welcome to any of my memories, although most are with you anyway so you've probably already experienced them."

"Any?" he quirked his head. "You sure?"

"Yeah," I shrugged. I had nothing to hide after all. Well, other than this chained door I can't get open. I'm not sure what's in there. "Hey, can you take a look at this door real quick? It's chained up for some reason."

Naruto nodded and followed me. "Wow, that is a lot of chains. I wonder what's behind it."

"I know. I think it's where all those visions I told you about are from. Try brushing your hand against the door. You might get a few images like I did," I proposed.

He did so and after a moment pulled away. "That's so weird! I saw an older me and a baby me and someone named _Bradly_. Who's _Bradly_?"

"I dunno. My head says he's my brother, but I don't have a brother…you know, other than you. It's so confusing!" I complained.

Naruto patted my back. "We just have to find out how to get rid of the chains later! Then everything'll be fine. Come on," he walked through the wood.

"Yeah, you're right," I mumbled before I followed him out of the tree. "So, by any chance do you remember how you left your mindscape?" I switched topic.

He face-palmed. "Can't believe I didn't think of that! Try thinking of waking up. That's what it feels like," he said.

I nodded and forced all thoughts of anything else from my head as I began to concentrate on the feeling of waking up. This was kind of hard considering I hadn't experienced waking up lately since I had not even slept much in over a week. I did manage to imagine the drowsiness and the incapability of opening my eyes. I imagined the _sunlight_. That's when I really felt the change.

A whisk of air could be heard and I opened my eyes to the hidden training grounds. Naruto was near me and we both were laying on the ground, seemingly just waking up from sleeping.

"It worked!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed as he got up. "Look! The scrolls and weapons came back with us!"

I looked to the floor and gathered up my scrolls happily. "Now we can finally do something other than chakra control," I breathed.

"You have a chakra control scroll right there," Naruto deadpanned.

"Just because we can do something else, doesn't mean I'm going to let my previous hard work go to waste. I'm going to make my control perfect!" I declared with a pose then drooped. "...after I have a nap."

Naruto snorted. "Good luck with that then. How long were we in your head do you think?"

I laid down and closed my eyes with a yawn. "Couldn't have been more than a few hours," I replied before I passed out.

How wrong I was.


	20. Chapter 19

A brisk chill breeze woke me up and I turned uncomfortably. Slight warmth radiated next to me and I blinked my eyes open to see Naruto curled up into my side. Yawning sleepily, I pated his fluffy hair and pulled myself away. Taking notice of how dark it was, I guessed I had slept all day into the night. I stood and stretched feeling better than I had in a long time. Sheesh, I had missed sleeping.

Giving out another loud yawn, I heard Naruto mutter under his breath, "You 'wake?"

I turned back around and saw him sitting up wiping his eyes tiredly. "Yeah," I replied. "How long was I asleep for?"

Naruto stood up wobbly and looked up to the skylight contemplatively, "All day long. The sun should be rising soon too so I guess 'round eighteen hours or so. Yeah, that sounds about right."

"So we've been gone about a day," I reaffirmed. "I wonder if Hound's been looking for us."

"Eh," Naruto shrugged. "We'll find out. But, look! While you were passed out I practiced kunai throwing."

He walked nearby to his pile of weapons and picked up a single kunai, aimed, and threw it towards a far off target he must have made while I was asleep. He hit the target in one of its outer circles. I grinned at his accomplishment and rushed next to him. "That was amazing! How'd you hit it from so far away?"

"It wasn't as hard as when I did this in the academy. These kunai feel different from the academy ones I used. Maybe these are just better?" he guessed. "I hit the bull's-eye in not even an hour, so I started aiming from farther away."

I paused and frowned thinking. Only an hour and he got it in the bull's eye? He had so much trouble before though. "What if the problem wasn't your supposed lack of skill but instead the kunai they gave you to use?" I asked.

His eyes widened. "Now that you mention it, my kunai from the academy all seemed to be heavier in the handle than the actual blade. These don't feel like that at all!" he exclaimed while testing the weight of another kunai.

I picked one up myself and felt what he meant. These kunai distributed all its weight equally, not in the handle. "Well, you know you can at least hit the target now, right? Try out the kunai in the academy again and see if we're right," I suggested.

His fists clenched around the kunai. "Everyone is doing fine except me and teachers don't like me either...I wouldn't be surprised if they sabotaged me," he said unhappily.

I kicked the ground angrily at what we had deduced. "Now that we know about the Kyuubi, I guess it really wouldn't be much of a surprise. Who'd want the 'demon' to actually be a trained, after all?" I questioned sarcastically. "They might even be doing this to your classwork—not that you liked that stuff anyway."

Naruto became quiet before he suddenly pumped both his fists in the air. "This just means I have to train extra hard so even their sabotages won't work!" he yelled determinedly.

"But, if you were sabotaged this whole time, do you know what that means?" I asked with a smile.

His face faltered worriedly. "What?"

"It means that you're only the dobe in name! In reality, you are probably average if not closer to the top of the class," I grinned reassuringly.

He stared at me for a moment before smile slowly spread across his face. "You're right! I'm not the dobe 'ttebayo!" he shouted happily.

I giggled at his verbal tic then looked back up to the skylight. Light had started to beam through as morning dawned. "I think we should probably head back. You have taijutsu training in school today, right?"

"Yeah," Naruto confirmed then glanced down at our scrolls and weapons. "Leave them here?"

"I think we should. How would we explain where we got the scrolls anyway?" I murmured. "I'm not telling anyone that they fell out of my back. That sounds weird."

Naruto gave a slight laugh. "It'll be a clan secret then!" he beamed as he raced up the nearest tree. I followed close behind.

* * *

Not even five minutes on the way home a figure dropped down in front of us.

"Forty six hours," Hound growled, a feeling of ire surrounding him. "Where. Were. You?"

I paled. "I-I went somewhere to s-sleep, but didn't wake up until an h-hour ago," I stuttered out a half-truth.

Naruto nodded vigorously in agreement. "Y-yeah! And I didn't want to wake or leave her, so I just p-practiced my kunai throwing," he added which was technically true.

The ANBU's chakra flared angrily again, but I could tell there was a twinge of worry in it. I looked down feeling bad for not telling Hound anything. However, we only knew him for over a week and he was not family.

Naruto and I had always promised to never hide anything from each other. We had no secrets between us. But, that didn't mean they weren't _our_ secrets. Our discoveries, our seals, our pasts, they were all _ours_. English was ours. Knowing about the Kyuubi was no longer their secret; it was ours. The sealed library in me was now ours as well. All of our secrets became the Uzumaki clan secrets—or that's what we liked to think of them as.

Knowing this didn't remove the oddly placed guilt I felt from not saying anything though. Hound had worried and that made me feel bad.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "if we worried you."

"Yeah, sorry," Naruto added. The irritation in Hound's chakra lowered after that. "But, you have to admit it was a good prank," Naruto continued while he waved his hand in front of his nose with a mischievous grin. "And you still stink!"

And...the irritation was back again tenfold. I exhaled sharply at the murderous aura and nudged Naruto, _"This is the part where we run."_

Naruto feeling the same oppressive killing intent grinned wider and screamed, _"Run!"_

And then we bolted and played our first game of tag with ANBU Hound. It was overall a fun day.


	21. Chapter 20

Opening the door, a chime of bells rang throughout the air. Before I walked in all the way, I turned around and yelled up to a nearby roof, "Bye, Hound!"

The masked figure appeared giving me a single wave and then vanished again. Passersby witnessing this seemed to all be startled by the ANBU's appearance and hurried away. Internally laughing at this, I walked into the Yamanaka flower shop tiredly. Now that I had finally adjusted to Hound's chakra, I had been able to sleep. This also meant my normal schedule was back and I was not a morning person. The process of getting out of bed today had been tough. The sheets were so warm and my pillow was just so soft. Yes, this morning was especially hard to wake up to.

"Ah, I see you came this time," Inoichi walked out from a back room. "I was wondering where you were last Tuesday."

I gave him a half glare for making me have to get up this early. "I was sleeping," I told him.

"Oh really?" he quirked an eyebrow. "I inquired to where you were and was told you disappeared."

"I was sleeping," I repeated.

He shook his head with a small smile. "Good job with the stink bombs," he complimented.

My eyes widened, "You know about that?!"

"I'm sure just about everyone above Jonin knows about it by now," he chuckled and began to lead me into the back room. "Evading that particular ANBU is not one of the easiest things to do, with only a stink bomb no less."

I blushed at his praise. I'd have to tell Naruto later about the kudos. He'd love to hear that his skunk bombs had impressed someone. "Thanks," I murmured.

"No, thank you! I had a record amount of customers that day. People in the area came rushing in here to avoid the smell," he said gratefully.

"It was my brother's creation. I just made the plan," I said. "Maybe I'll tell him to use them more often."

"You didn't hear any approval from me," Inoichi winked. "Now, I believe you are going to help me open shop?"

"Un," I nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well…"

* * *

I carried another large flower pot outside the door and plopped it down with a grunt. Pushing it harshly, this one was slowly positioned to hold the door open. Once done, I huffed and wiped some sweat off my brow. These pots were heavy!

Jogging back inside, I glanced at Inoichi who was relaxing behind the counter watching me work. "Keep building those muscles, Hoshi-chan," he chuckled.

"Slave driver," I mumbled.

"What was that?" he called.

I stood stiff and hurried off to carry out the other pots that needed to be displayed outside.

* * *

"Scrub harder. I still see a spot," Inoichi called from the counter.

"There aren't any more spots!" I turned and glared. "How would you be able to tell from over there anyway?"

He gave me a merciless grin. "Hoshi-chan, are you questioning my knowledge?" he asked.

"No, I'm questioning your sight," I snapped.

"Watch that temper, young lady," he chastised. "There is still a spot waiting to be cleaned."

I grumbled and put more force into wiping the window.

* * *

I sat on the floor in the backroom plucking leaves that had died off of their plants. Finally finishing the first pot, I smiled successfully. At least I was doing something with flowers.

"How's dead leaf picking?" Inoichi asked from behind me.

"Fine," I said as I began plucking a browning leaf out from the next bushel of flowers.

"Oh, good," he hummed. "Still seventy more pots to go."

I turned and stared at him wide eyed in disbelief. He just chuckled and walked back out to help a customer.

* * *

"Daddy!" a young blonde squealed. I cringed at the sudden newcomer and receded myself farther into the backroom.

"Ino, you're awake!" I heard Inoichi say happily. "How's my little girl?"

"I had an great dream! There was a prince and he—"

"No!" Inoichi cried. "No princes for my little princess! You're too young!"

I took that moment to hide a giggle and walk out of the backroom to see Inoichi squeezing the daylights of a light blonde haired girl. "I'm finished with the leaf plucking," I interrupted with a side smile.

The girl colored when she saw me and pushed herself out of Inoichi's hug. "Daddy, who's she?" she said eyes narrowing as she pointed at me.

"It's not nice to point," he pulled her arm down. "And this is Uzumaki Hoshi. She'll be here every morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Isn't that right, Hoshi-chan?" he grinned wickedly at me.

I shivered wondering why I agreed to come here. Oh, right, I didn't. I shuffled towards the door intending to leave when a large hand met the top of my head and held me in place. "I _said_, 'Isn't that right, Hoshi-chan?' You want to be able to purchase those plants_, don't you_?"

I looked up and him crazy eyed and nodded fearfully. I knew I should have just stayed home.

* * *

Ino, the blonde girl, was peeking over the counter glaring at me as she cut ribbon. I myself was cutting off rose thorns. Nicking my finger, I winced and licked the blood off before continuing.

"You can't even cut thorns off without pricking yourself," Ino jeered as she walked out from behind the counter. I ignored her, but the hairs on the back of my neck pricked up at her insult.

"Ino, can you water the flowers for me?" Inoichi called from the backroom.

"Sure!" the girl yelled back before running to a large utility sink to fill a watering can. Then she began to run around watering various plants.

When Inoichi came out of the backroom, I glared at him. How come Ino got all the easy jobs? Not only that, she got to sleep in two hours longer than me! "_Unfair_," I said inaudibly as I resumed cutting off painfully sharp thorns.

* * *

She stared. I stared. We both stared. She blinked. I blinked. We both blinked. She frowned. I grinned. We both stood up.

"I won the staring contest!" I declared.

"Did not! I…had something in my eye!" Ino fibbed.

"Lying liar who lies," I singsonged.

"No I didn't! And…and…you have to listen to me because I'm older!" she placed her hands on her hips with a triumphant grin.

"What! How do you know you're older than me? I could be older than you!" I yelled.

"Well, I'm taller than you so that means I'm older," she indicated.

"Are you calling me short?!" I growled.

"Maybe!" she patted my head.

I swat her hand away, "I'm not short! Height has nothing to do with age!"

"Humph, fine then. I'm five," Ino said proudly.

I wilted at her announcement. "I'm …four," I sulked.

"Ha!" she laughed.

Indignant at her win I blurted, "At least I don't have a squeaky voice!"

"What did you say?!" she roared. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do! I said so!" I shouted back.

"And why would I listen to a baldy?" she suddenly smirked. "I bet that's why you wear that hat! It's to hide your baldness!"

"Are you insane?" I flushed red holding my beanie to my head tightly. "I'm not bald! I'm just…"

"Just…?" Ino probed while her hands twitched and she got a glint in her eye. Confused at this, I backed up a bit, but then she lunged.

"No!" I squealed and ran away. She chased me trying to grab my hat and I tore through the store running.

"Got you!" I was quickly pinned and my blue beanie yanked off. My long red locks tumbled around me as I struggled to get up.

"Woah," Ino whispered and I looked at her to see stars in her eyes as she stared down at me. "Can I braid your hair?" she begged.

"Uh…sure?" I blinked completely bewildered in her sudden change of attitude.

"Yes! Come on, I have some cute barrettes too!" she dragged me away.

And that was how I became friends with Yamanaka Ino.

* * *

"Girls!" Inoichi called. "Lesson time!"

We both rushed into the back and I smiled down at my now braided hair. It was much easier to pull under my beanie now. Planting my hat to cover my hair, I climbed a stool next to Ino and watched Inoichi in anticipation.

He pulled out two very similar leaves and placed them down in front of us. "Now, can you tell me the differences between these two?"

Ino scrunched her nose distastefully as she looked at the leaves. "Why do we have to know this?"

Inoichi patiently sat down in front of us and explained, "Well, these two leaves in particular come from two different plants. One of which is poisonous while the other a healing herb. Being able to tell the difference can save or end someone's life."

Ino's eyes widened and I grinned at his words. "Like the difference between _yew _and rosemary?" I asked.

Inoichi's eyes slid to me, "Yes, like that. And again, it's called Ichī, not _yew_."

I flushed embarrassed, "Sorry, Yamanaka-san."

"Call me Inoichi-sensei. I am going to be teaching you from now on," he said warmly.

I looked over to Ino who was giving me a reassuring smile before I turned back to him cheerfully, "Yes, Inoichi-sensei!"


	22. Chapter 21

1 Month Later

* * *

_"Bye!"_ Naruto yelled as he rushed out the door with his bento in hand.

_"Hurry up! You're going to be late!"_ I cupped my hands and screamed outside. After he disappeared out of sight, I walked outside and headed towards a particular tree. Looking up at the ANBU lounging on a branch, I took notice of something new: a book. "Hound?"

He tilted his head away from the novel down to me, "Hm?"

"Whatcha readin'?" I asked.

He lowered the book and replied, "A book."

I gave him a deadpan stare, "_No shit, Sherlock_."

He seemed to get the point of what I said and added, "It's a book you can't read."

"Why not?" I whined as I started walking up the tree to him. "I like books and I'm bored!"

"No," he shunshined away to the neighboring tree and began reading again.

I plopped down on the branch he had been in and pouted. "At least tell me what it's about!"

"No."

"You never read before," I said. "Why now?"

"It just was published," he stated. "And it's a good book."

"Why is it good?" I probed.

He ignored me as he continued to read and we sat there quietly for a few moments until I noticed something. Blood was dripping from underneath his white mask. "Ah!" I exclaimed. "Are you bleeding? Are you okay? Do you—"

I felt a spike of chakra and his hand was suddenly covering my mouth, "Not. Another. Word. Go back inside and play."

Then he slowly removed his hand and I blurted, "Did you lose a fight? Did you get punched in the nose? Are you—"

Hounds hand covered my mouth again and he gave me a slight whack over the head. I gave a muffled, "OW," when he asked, "Are you going to be quiet now?"

I nodded.

"Good," he uncovered my mouth again. I remained silent and he patted my head before going back to the other tree.

Sighing, I jumped down and walked back inside. I guess I'll just have to go back to reinventing food again to pass time. When Naruto gets home at least we'd have something to do: Capture Hound's book.

* * *

"Hoshi-chan, you're not allowed to read this. Ever," Naruto pressed. "Never, okay?!"

"Uh, okay," I agreed confused. "Why not?"

"It's bad! That's why!" he exclaimed as he pointed down at the book. Now I was really curious of what it was about, but I knew better than to ignore Naruto's judgment. Last time that happened, I almost got scoured by shuriken.

"O-okay," I bobbed my head up and down then turned to the unconscious Hound. "I think you overdid it though."

"He deserves it!" Naruto hissed and kicked the Hound in the side. "He's a pervert!"

"What's a pervert?"

"Someone to avoid, Hoshi-chan," he emphasized. "It's someone to _avoid."_

"We can't avoid Hound, though," I commented. "He's our guard and won't go away until we graduate, remember?"

"He's the exception. We just have to cure him first," Naruto declared. "Until then, _avoid_."

"Okay, okay, I got it," I surrendered. "So…want to doodle on his face?"

He pulled out two markers from his left pocket and tossed one to me with a grin. I uncapped the pink marker and Naruto took off Hound's white mask handing it to me. I started drawing hearts all over it while Naruto had removed the black felt mask and started drawing a mustache on Hound's actual face.

When I finished pinkifying the mask I handed it back to Naruto and we switched. It was strange seeing Hound's face instead of his white mask. He was pretty and his hair was so soft. I fluffed it a few times and then braided a bit of it. "Nii-chan, is he a girl?"

Naruto snorted, "Hound's a guy."

"But, he can't be a guy. He looks too pretty!" I described.

"Trust me. If he reads those books, he's a guy," he explained. "And he's handsome, not pretty."

"Well I think he's secretly a girl," I muttered and wrote the words 'I'm a girl' on his forehead.

"Only one way to find out," Naruto whispered then he punched ANBU Hound in the crotch as hard as he could.

"GAAAAHHHHAAAAIIIIKKKK!"

"Look! He woke up!" I smiled as Hound continued to scream in agony.

Naruto grinned, "Told you he was a guy."

"Oh, I guess you're right," I watched as Hound slowly got up and stared at us disoriented. "Now that you mention it, his jaw line is a bit too sharp for a girl. But, still…he even had a girly scream."

"Y-you brats," Hound rasped with killer intent rolling off him. Thankfully Naruto and I had adjusted to the KI and weren't bothered by it after experiencing it so often. After a moment, Hound seemed to realize that his mask was removed and he touched his bare face in shock. Then he proceeded to try and steal the masks back.

Easily said, we ran masks in hand.

* * *

3 Months Later

* * *

"Naruto-nii," I whispered in a worried voice. _"Hound's chakra isn't near us."_

_"What? Seriously?"_ he asked.

I nodded and Naruto whooped. Frowning at his reaction, I asked, _"Aren't you worried about him?"_

_"Hound can handle himself and his chakra isn't gone, it's just not near us like you said. I bet he had a mission or something,"_ he replied sagely.

_"Ohhh, you're right!"_ I smiled no longer worried.

_"And do you know what that means?"_ Naruto grinned. _"We can finally go back the training grounds!"_

My eyes widened and I jumped up excitedly, _"Finally! It's been months. I hope the scrolls are okay."_

_"It didn't rain much so they should be fine, plus we hid them in one of the trunks, remember?"_

_"I forgot actually,"_ I blushed and then thought of the seal on my back that we had discovered last time. _"I want to see if we can go into that library again."_

_"So long as we get to look at prank memories while we're there,"_ He requested.

_"Deal,"_ I smiled.

* * *

_"Wait, there is a new chakra,"_ I said as we ran. _"It's following us. Third tree to the left."_

_"On it,"_ Naruto said as he burst away. A few moments later there was a scream of indignation and Naruto came running back.

"You've gotten really good at that," I smiled at his quickness. "So, what'd you use this time?"

"Sticky bomb. Super glue is the best invention ever," he grinned. "It was a new ANBU, probably a replacement guard."

"Poor guy," I snickered. "He's going to have a hell of a time getting that off of him."

"I even laced the smell of dog poop in the glue to give it an extra oomph," Naruto added. "Although, it was supposed to be intended for Hound."

I laughed, "I'm starting to think all the ANBU can't dodge whatsoever."

"Oh, no, they can," he contradicted. "But, the bombs have a large area-of-effect when they explode so whether they dodge or not is nil."

"That makes sense," I nodded. "But, I still think Hokage-jii-chan needs new ANBU if they can't even escape our pranks."

"Don't insult my future ANBU dattebayo!" he defended them. "They're just taken by surprise."

"What about Hound then?" I asked. "He should have figured us out by now."

"He's the exception. We know his weaknesses," Naruto said impishly. "His book and his sense of smell."

"You'd think he'd do something to fix it by now," I muttered. "At least he actively tries to protect the book, but he does nothing to protect his nose. One skunk bomb or knockout incense and he's down. It's just too easy."

"I'm going to steal that book," he murmured.

I raised a brow, "I thought you were going to burn it?"

Naruto flushed red and waved his hands around embarrassingly, "T-that's what I meant! I'm going to steal it then burn it. Yeah, that's definitely what I meant!"

"Why do I have a feeling you're lying?" I asked.

"I'm not ''ttebayo!" he cried. "I promise! I'll burn it after I steal it."

"If you say so," I said. "…Are you sure I can't read it?"

"NO!"

* * *

"So, I just concentrate all my chakra into the seal like before, right?" I asked once we reached the training grounds.

"Yeah," he placed his hand on my back shoulder blade, "Now go."

I felt the sickly sweet warmth of chakra pool to my shoulder blade and watched as the surroundings changed to the dark forest. "Nii-chan, it worked!" I yelled excitedly as we walked forward.

SMACK.

"I hate your mindscape Hoshi-chan," Naruto complained, "and all the trees in it! Why does it have to be so dark?!"

I giggled and poked my forehead, "I have chakra sense to see so the dark doesn't bother me."

"That rhymed," he commented.

"It did?"

"Yup," he finished. "Let's go find us an evil tree."

* * *

That day was spent finding Naruto a way to perform the basic clone jutsu even with so much chakra reserves. We found again that learning for us was backwards. We had to learn to make many clones and decrease the amount from there. Turns out with a ton of practice he could pull off ten of them or more easily, but no less. Trying to even one less took more chakra control then he could pull off and all of them would turn out looking like half dead slugs with Naruto heads. It was kind of creepy.

I'd have practiced too, but I didn't need to yet and I didn't want to have to deal with hand seals. I mean, I could have done the same thing I did with the henge and memorize the chakra path, but I was feeling lazy today. So, I just read more scrolls and found a few on fuinjutsu. Actually I found a lot on fuinjutsu. Probably half the library was chock full of them. I grabbed a few basic learning scrolls and found the learning problems and designs towards the subject to be pretty easy. It was like painting a picture with math in it. In fact, I found it kind of fun. My first seal that I made, I placed on me and Naruto's ankles. It's shaped as a very small swirl and also a permanent mosquito and tick repellant. How cool is that?

From then on, Naruto would skip school whenever there was a replacement ANBU while Hound was gone and we both would go the training grounds for days to study and practice secretly until he came back. I, of course, made sure to be at the Yamanaka flower shop on Tuesday and Thursday mornings still. I didn't want to make Inoichi-sensei mad for missing a lesson. Ino would have probably thrown a fit too if she had to open shop without me. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one who had to wake up early to do that anymore.

* * *

6 Months Later

* * *

"Final Exams," Naruto grumbled as he stared down at a small textbook. "Why do we have to have a test on everything we've already learned again?"

"To test that you remember it I guess," I replied as I placed my right foot in front of me carefully. Stepping lightly, I switched my weight to my left and angled myself inwards. "Repetition is one of the main ways of remembering things important."

"I don't want to remember stupid things! When am I ever going to need to know the name of the first fire lord's wife anyway?" he questioned while grasping his hair angrily.

"I never said that what you were studying was important," I commented with a turn and a wave of my palms circularly. "I just said repetition was important to remember things."

"This is still stupid," Naruto said shoving the book away from him. "I give up!"

I paused in my footwork to glance at him before continuing. "I guess it wouldn't matter if you studied history or not. They'll still give you a bad grade," I frowned. "But, I wouldn't shuck up on the math, writing, and general shinobi lessons. You'll need to know those for when we graduate."

"I hate math!" he complained. "And I already know how to write _in two languages_."

I smiled and crouched swiping my leg, "I guess it's a good thing I'm awesome at math then."

"Which is not even fair," Naruto continued with a scowl. "You didn't even have to learn it; you just _know_."

"Sorry," I said guiltily. About a month ago, Naruto had brought home math homework. When I caught sight of the paper, memories of horrid math problems flashed through my head for hours that day. Later, when we both entered my mindscape, I noticed one of the chains on the large memory door had broken off. It was only a small chain about as thick as my fist; I could barely tell it was missing because the numerous other chains concealed its absence.

A week later Naruto told me that he pieced together a cause and effect theory about the door. He believed that something—like his math homework—triggered each of the chains to break and after they broke certain memories would reveal themselves. The concept made sense, but it brought more questions than answers. Had chains been broken before without me knowing? If so, how many chains were there in the first place? Why are they there in the first place? And where are these memories from?

We never figured out an answer so we just left it as is. Anyway, after that chain broke I intuitively just knew everything math wise so I sometimes did Naruto's homework. Naruto had taken it upon himself to view the horribly boring math memories in hope to understand math too. It didn't work. Sure, he saw the memories, but he couldn't comprehend them so he trudged through them for nothing.

"It's fine," he immediately gave me a cheeky grin. "It just means you have to teach me! So stop circle-walking and help me."

I dropped out of stance and sat next to him at the kotastu. The main way of learning airbending—we officially called it that instead of Baguazhang—was to walk in circles through a sequence of stances leading inwards. So in almost all my spare time I was constantly circle-walking to memorize all the stances and use them reflexively.

"What are you working on this week?" I asked. "You have to be done subtraction by now."

"Yeah, we finished that yesterday. We're on multiplication, but it's so hard!" Naruto exclaimed.

_"Well then you'll really like the multiplication chart,_" I said switching to English so Hound wouldn't hear. The I grabbed his paper and pencil then began to draw a chart. _"This'll give you the multipications up to 12x12. You just have to memorize the numbers."_

_"More memorization?"_ Naruto groaned.

I finished writing in the numbers and handed him back the sheet. _"Yeah, sorry. After you memorize this, you can solve all of the larger multiplication problems through it. I'll show you that later, okay?"_

_"Okay,"_ his eyes gazed down at the sheet and his eyebrows scrunched up.

I leaned over his shoulder and pointed to the x and y columns that I shaded in. _"These are the two numbers you'll be multiplying. Drag your fingers from each to meet each other and when they do, the solution will be underneath them. Like this,"_ I explained while pointing to 3 and 6. Dragging my fingers, I brought them together until they were over the answer 18.

_"I don't have to do anything else?"_ he asked. _"That's it?"_

_"Yup!"_ I smiled. _"It's that easy! I'll show you what to do when you multiply bigger numbers after you memorize the chart."_

_"I'll memorize this in a day ''ttebayo!"_

_"Good luck,"_ I gave him an amused look. _"When you can answer each one without even thinking, tell me."_

_"Are you doubting me?"_ Naruto pouted.

_"I would never!"_ I said sarcastically and placed my hand over my heart. _"How could you accuse me of such a thing?"_

I got nudged in the side just as a figure jumped through the window and landed on top of the kotatsu. After the initial shock I glared at ANBU Hound for scaring me. Naruto outright stood up and pointed, "What are you doing?!"

"Yeah!" I yelled in agreement. "Get off the table!"

Hound jumped off to sit casually in a chair. "I apologize for the intrusion," he said lowly.

I raised a brow, "Why did you come through the window?"

_"Don't we do the same thing to Jiji?"_ Naruto leaned over and whispered.

I thought about all of our break-ins into the Hokage office, _"Oh. Yeah. Forgot about that."_

Silence.

"I am going on a mission and won't be back for a week longer than usual," Hound announced abruptly.

Naruto jumped out of his seat excitedly, "A mission! What type of mission? Are you going to be saving a princess or—"

"Classified," Hound cut him off, but his chakra seemed amused by the reaction. "I'm telling you so you won't torment your new guard after you'd find I've left."

That was actually pretty considerate of him—both to me and the new guard. I'd have been weird if his chakra wasn't near for longer than a day or two after the many months of him being there. "Define torment," I smiled innocently.

Hound sighed, "No pranks or physical harm."

_"He didn't mention mental harm,"_ Naruto whispered.

"Nothing too far into harming their mentality either," he added.

"_Damn," _both Naruto and I grumbled.

"So, be good," he paused. "Bye."

Hound waved and jumped back out the window. I felt him leave the immediate area and head south as another large chakra signature replaced him. Naruto and I stayed sitting for a while until I finished Naruto's homework. "Nii-chan,_ I'm done,_" I stretched as I handed over his the paper.

_"Did I ever tell you you're my most favorite sister in the whole wide world?"_ Naruto squeezed me into a hug while taking his now finished homework.

_"I'm your only sister and technically not even that,"_ I muffled out from his chest.

He laughed and let me go. _"So, do we listen or not listen to Hound?"_ he pondered tapping his chin contemplatively.

I snorted and grinned. _"Race you to the training grounds!"_ I challenged as I bolted out through the window.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**This chapter and probably the next one or two (or few) are going to be time skips into and through academy years. This chapter passed a total of _ten months_ which is drawing to the end of Naruto's first year at the academy. This also means rookie nine will be entering the academy soon. ****:)**

**Also, thank you to all the recommendations for _future_ pairings. I'm still unsure, but at least I have a few ideas for when I get there.**

**Lastly, h****appy belated Mother's day! I tried to make the chapter extra long because of posting a little later than I expected. I had a bit of a writer's block writing it as well as a ton of birthdays taking up my time these last few days. **

**Again, if you have any questions, please ask! I'd love to answer so long as it won't prove to be a spoiler. And thank you so much for all the reviews. They are really helping me a ton. So please review, I love reviews! Thanks for reading! :D**


	23. Chapter 22

3 Months Later _December_

* * *

"Inooo, that huuurts," I whined as she yanked another piece of my hair.

"Hold still!" she demanded. I froze in place at her tone and felt her pull more of my hair up. Once it was securely tied, she smiled proudly at her work and ran across of the room to the stairs, "I'm getting you a mirror!"

I sighed and felt my hair with my hands. It seemed she went overboard with it this time. She left half of my hair down while the other half was sorted into a lot of mini braids that were then placed into a messy bun. "Well, at least she didn't place flowers in it this time," I murmured out loud.

"Your right, I forgot!" her sudden voice startled me and I jumped turning to see Ino had come back with a handheld mirror.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," I pouted while flashing my chakra sense to make sure no one had entered the shop to buy anything. Seeing it still empty I turned to Ino and groaned when I saw she had grabbed some flowers for my hair while I was distracted.

Ino giggled and handed me a mirror. "You say that now, but other times you seem to know where I am before I even enter the room. Same with Dad," she eyed me accusingly with a playful smile.

"A-ah, well," I turned away to the mirror. No one other than Naruto and Hound knew about my chakra sense yet—plus Hokage-jii-chan since Hound probably told him—and I intended to keep it that way. A lot of shinobi wouldn't be able to handle it if they found out I can sense them 24/7 even though they are concealing their chakra. I may be a little girl, but even a grown adult, let alone a trained ninja, would be somewhat disturbed if they knew they could not hide. It's like a lack of privacy and security Hound told me. He didn't want me to tell anyone on a whim—not that I was going to. Now, I just had a reason not to.

Ino rolled her eyes and blew a piece of hair out of her face before getting back to work. This time she was tying a few flowers to the messy bun. I scrunched up my face and moped. "You know I'm just going to take my hair back out after you're done, right?" I asked.

"No, you're not!" Ino complained. "Not this time, you aren't. You're hair looks perfect!"

I huffed and pulled a red strand to my face. "It's red," I scrutinized.

"So?" Ino said. "It's red and it's going to be red for the rest of your life. Besides, I think it's pretty!"

I blushed but remained adamant, "People stare when I have it down and no one else has red hair."

"They stare because their jealous of it!" Ino insisted. "And being the only one with red hair makes it special."

"Special is just another word for different," I murmured. "Trust me, I would know."

She scoffed and tugged my hair, "Stop being so depressive. You look pretty and that's that!"

I shrugged and looked back down at the mirror in my hand. I guess I did look pretty, but only a little bit. "Okay, fine…it looks nice," I admitted.

Ino perked up and jumped up happily. "See! I told you," she cheered. "Now you just have to show it off! Argh, if only you were in my class."

"Class?" I asked.

"You know the academy. It's too bad you're not in my class. It would have been fun if we ended up on a team together," she said and I absorbed her words.

"Wait, what do you mean? I can't be on your team because I'm going to be in a different class?" I asked panicked. Naruto and I planned to be on the same team! How were we going to do that if I wasn't already in his class?!

"You don't know?" Ino asked. "Everyone who is in the same age group is eventually grouped into threes after they graduate to make genin teams. You're a year younger so you'll be in a class below me."

"No," I whispered. "Is there any way to skip a grade?!"

Ino seemed taken aback by my sudden outburst, "I don't know? I've only ever heard of people skipping grades during wartime. My dad was one and graduated early, but we're not in war anymore."

"But—!"

"Hey, don't get too worked up over it!" Ino put her hands up. "I didn't know you wanted to be on my team that badly."

I shook my head, "It's not that. I have to be on my brother's team!"

"You have a brother?" Ino exclaimed excitedly. "I didn't know that! Who is he? Is he in my class? I didn't see anyone with red hair though. Is he cute?"

"What? Of course he's cute!" I said. "But, that's not important right now. I need to know how to get into your class!"

"So your brother _is_ in my class!" she grinned then suddenly frowned. "Wait a minute…your last name's Uzumaki. Don't tell me your brother is Naruto!?"

"Yeah, what of it?" I snapped.

"N-nothing," Ino stumbled. "I just was surprised is all?"

I eyed her irritated at her frown as she spoke of Naruto. "My brother's amazing so don't you forget it!" I yelled protectively.

She nodded hesitantly. "If you say so," she murmured. "Depends on your definition of amazing. He's the dobe of class. He even got into the academy a year early, but failed and has to repeat."

"That's because—"

Steps were heard coming down the stairs and Ino and I turned to see Inoichi enter the room. "Something the matter?" he asked. "I heard yelling."

"Nothing," both Ino and I said immediately after a glance at each other.

"I guess I'll head back upstairs then," he turned after giving both of us a look.

"Wait!" I called. Inoichi stopped and faced us again. "Do you know any way I can enter Ino's class? I have to be on the same team as my brother. I _have_ to!"

Inoichi smiled warmly before shaking his head, "It's heartwarming to see you care so much for your brother, but I'm sorry. There isn't from what I know of. We aren't in war times so it's looked down upon to have children graduate before they have to."

My mouth dropped in disbelief and I felt pressure coming to my eyes. "It c-can't be," I hiccupped.

"Ah! Don't cry!" Inoichi said wide eyed and rushed down the stairs. "I'm sure if you ask the Hokage, he may be able to make an exception."

I continued to stand and cry knowing that Jii-chan told me I couldn't enter early already. But, maybe now that I was five he would let me? I'd just have to ask to be with the six-year-old group. "H-he said no b-before," I wiped my eyes calming down from these thoughts, looked to Ino, and ran to her for a hug to which she gave happily. "But, I can ask again."

Inoichi calmed down seeing I stopped leaking tears and patted Ino's head. "I'll leave you to her then," he said and then rushed out of the room.

"Dad! You coward!" Ino screamed indignantly then huffed out, "Mou."

I gave another small sniffle before pulling away with a determined expression. "I'm going to be in your's and Naruto's class no matter what!" I declared.

Ino gave me a wide smile. "If you can, I won't complain! Go ask the Hokage already," she pushed me towards the door. "And don't forget to come back later today. I want to introduce you to someone from my class! She's really nice."

"Mmk!" I grinned and took a step out of the shop before rushing back inside. "Wait! Where's my hat? I can't go out like this!" I tugged some of my hair in reference to it.

Ino gave me an amused expression, "You're helpless. Just go one day without it! I promise your hair looks fine!"

"Ino, where's my hat?" I whined.

She sighed and pulled out my precious blue beanie and handed to me. "You get it back this time, but if you end up being in my class I forbid you from wearing it!"

"I'll think about it," I snatched my hat and tucked my hair under it before rushing towards the Hokage tower. "Later, Ino!"

"Bye, Hoshi!"


	24. Chapter 23

Rushing around the corner of the hallway and running past the surprised receptionist, I burst into the Hokage office interrupting what I realized was probably an important meeting. A masked Uchiha stood kneeling in front of the Hokage and both he and Ojii-chan had turned to look at me. Embarrassed by my brash entrance, I blushed and clutched my dress nervously. "I interrupted something, didn't I?" I shuffled my feet and turned to leave. "S-sorry, I'll just come back later."

I heard a small cough along with a hearty chuckle and I blushed even more so as I closed the door behind me. Standing outside the doors, the receptionist was giving me a chastising look. Avoiding her minute glares, I made sure to look away from her direction as I waited patiently for Jii-chan to finish.

About a half an hour later, the door to the Hokage's office opened again and Ojii-chan walked out immediately smiling upon seeing me. "Hoshi-chan, it's nice to see you! I'm surprised Naruto isn't with you," he glanced around as if looking for him before turning back to me and ushering me into his office. "What do I owe this visit to?"

I settled into a chair and Jii-chan closed the door behind us before going to sit down too. I decided to get straight to the point. "I want to join Naruto-nii's class," I said. "If I don't, I can't be on his team and we want to be on the same team!"

He seemed very pleased by this sudden announcement and pulled out a blue scroll similar to one I had seen him give to Naruto for early acceptance. I perked up and looked at him with hopeful eyes as he handed it over to me. I quickly opened it and scanned the contents. Finishing, I almost squealed in joy. "You're really letting me join?!" I exclaimed, a smile spreading across my face.

"I'm sure you both will do well if put into the same class and if I do remember correctly," he tapped his chin, "when I lost that game a year ago, Naruto requested that you _both_ join the academy early. I don't want to go back on my word, now do I?"

My eyes widened in remembrance. "But, I thought you said I was too young to join," I answered. "Not that I'm denying the early acceptance. I'm really happy about that," I quickly added worried he'd change his mind.

He smiled warmly at me and puffed his pipe once, "You can enter the academy now. There have been younger than you to join and you are no longer four anymore, are you?"

"No, I'm five!" I said proudly and then wavered. "You planned this all along, didn't you? This way me and Naruto would be in the same class."

The Hokage's eyebrows shot up and he let out a small laugh, "You are such a bright child, Hoshi. I'm glad you were able to come to reside here in Konoha with Naruto. Speaking of which, how is he?"

"Nii-chan? He's doing okay, I guess. Last week he told me he got a new sensei and doesn't really like him," I said. "But, Naruto-nii hasn't had any detentions from the new teacher yet, so I guess he can't be too bad."

"Hmm," the Hokage puckered a bit and nodded. "I guess that is an improvement from the last teacher. I trust you to be a good influence for Naruto. No more skipping classes now that you're entering the academy, alright?"

I pouted. "We only really skip when Hound's gone on a mission. We don't like the other ANBU," I declared as I swung my legs back and forth distractedly. "They're annoying and glare at us."

"Is that so?" he seemed amused. "Hound has had many grievances since placed under your care."

I giggled, "I thought we were under his care!"

Hokage-jii joined in my laughter, "Not from what I've heard. Is it true that you both have managed to unmask him twice?"

I grinned, "Un!"

"Quite an accomplishment," he complimented. "Though, I ask if you both would calm down the pranks on the other ANBU. The last one was not too pleased to be found glued to a tree. They're starting to think I'm assigning them to both of you as either a punishment or an advanced training method."

I smiled innocently at this and then looked down at the blue scroll in my hand. "So, um, does this mean I can join the academy tomorrow?"

"Whenever you wish to, yes," Jii-chan confirmed. "Just give it to a teacher named Iruka, he's going to be your sensei."

"And since I'm in Naruto-nii's class, I get to join his team, right?" I asked confidently.

"That is a matter of the genin sensei's that will be choosing what teams they find promising," he contradicted with a knowing eye. "There are a few exceptions such as past traditions like the Ino-Shika-Cho and the dead last paired with the top kunoichi and rookie of the year however."

I frowned at hearing this news but jumped up when hearing about the second traditional team. "You mean, so long as I get top kunoichi and Nii-chan got either dead last or rookie of the year, we'd be on the same team?" I asked excitedly.

"I guess I did say that, didn't I?" the Hokage acknowledged while looking down at a few papers and signed something before looking back up with a smile. "Shouldn't you be heading over to the academy to turn that scroll in?"

I vaulted over the desk and hugged him. "Thanks, Jii-chan," I held him happily taking in the smell of tobacco and spices as he hugged me back.

After a moment he pulled away placed his hand on my head kindly. "Now go on," he shooed. "And make sure to tell Naruto to visit me. I haven't seen him in a while."

I grinned and hopped off his lap before backing out of the room, "I will!"

* * *

Standing in front of a sliding door, I stood up on my toes and peeked through the small window curiously. A brown haired young man with a scar across his nose was speaking to the students and I spotted Naruto sleeping in the back of the room. Happy to see I had found the right classroom, I decided to walk in.

After knocking lightly I slid the door open and found myself the attention of around thirty pairs of eyes. Slightly self-conscious, I briskly walked over to who I assumed was Iruka-sensei as a loud yawn from Naruto drew everyone's attention. He blinked sleepily and I couldn't help but grin at him. "_Eh, _Hoshi-chan? _Whatcha doin' here? Aren't you suppose to be at the flower shop t'day?"_ he asked while rubbing his eyes.

I gave him grin as I heard whispering throughout the classroom, but I ignored them and replied, "_I was there earlier, but I ran out to get this!"_ I twirled the blue scroll around.

"Excuse me," someone tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Iruka-sensei looking unpleased. "May I ask who you are and what you're doing in my class?"

I blushed embarrassed that I forgot that I just interrupted his class. Quickly, I handed him the scroll and pointed to the seal on the outside. "Here," I said.

Iruka's eyes widened upon seeing it. "From the Hokage?" he opened it immediately with an anxious expression. More whispers broke out through the room and I decided this was when I'd leave. I spotted Ino and gave her a small wave and mouthed that I'd explain everything to her later. Right as I was about to turn to leave, Naruto seemed to have woken up all the way and rushed down the steps stopping me. "_Are you okay? Did something happen? You've never come to the academy before," _he questioned worriedly and seemed to be checking me for injuries. "_Where's Hound?"_

_"He's on a_ _mission, I think," _I replied a little confused by his actions. "_I'm fine, _Nii-chan. _I just came to give the sensei a scroll to allow me to join your class._"

_"Really?!"_ he exclaimed with a grin.

_"Really!"_ I closed my eyes with a smile. _"I start tomorrow, but I gotta go before _Inoichi-sensei_ finds out I left without telling him, okay?"_

"Naruto go back to your seat," the teacher interrupted us. We both turned to see the hard expression from Iruka-sensei and I wavered uncomfortably from the glare. Oddly enough, instead of Naruto laughing it off like he normally does from those looks, he looked down despondently and stood there before slowly going back to his seat.

Seeing this, my heart clenched and I narrowed my eyes angrily at Iruka. "What's your problem?" I yelled.

Iruka looked over at me a little awkwardly and gave a wary smile. "Excuse me?"

"Yes! Excuse you!" I huffed and stalked out of the room, but not before giving a small wave to Naruto.

That day, I decided I really didn't like my new sensei and I was going to make sure he knew it.


	25. Chapter 24

It was strange that after I left the academy, I didn't feel any ANBU. I was happy I didn't have a babysitter, but also worried. Hound had been missing when we woke up this morning and hadn't told us he was going on a mission like he began doing before he leaves. Nervously, I left the academy grounds and started toward the Yamanaka's. Since there was no ANBU guard, I decided it was better to be safe than sorry so I was flashing my chakra sense as I walked through the crowd of morning shoppers.

Then suddenly, I sensed Hound. Blinking a few times, I looked in the direction of the outskirts of the village towards where I knew most of the training grounds were. Making a quick decision, I glanced back at the flower shop and whispered a quick prayer that Inoichi wouldn't kill me later before rushing off in the opposite direction to Hound. I was glad he was still in the village and hadn't left without saying bye, but he wasn't watching us like he was supposed to so that meant I had to make sure he was okay.

A few minutes later, I rushed right through the market and immediately stopped dead at the crowd I saw. There was a fight between women over some tuna that was on sale. The first was a blue haired woman who was currently using the tuna to slap another to which a brunette retaliated by shoving the fish down a blondes shirt because she thought that the blonde had slapped her. I snuffled a laugh and watched as the growing crowd cheered them on. Somewhat distracted from my mission, I ducked into a nearby ally and channeled chakra to my feet to climb onto the roof to get a better look. But, by the time I got up there and sat on the corner on the roof to watch, Uchiha police were already breaking up the flight.

Pouting at missing a good cat fight, I got back up and started towards Hound's chakra again by jumping roof to roof. This was my first time doing this, but it was similar to jumping tree to tree and Naruto had told me he'd done it before so I wasn't too scared. The only difference was that I just had to watch out for shinobi now so I didn't run into them by accident. Traversing the rooftops was pretty fun and gave me a new outlook to the village. It really was beautiful.

I once told Naruto that this was the most amazing place I'd seen before, and it was true. There were so many colors, so many homes, and so much culture. One house could be traditional and the next modern, yet all of them mashed together so simply it just seemed like it should always have been that way. There was civilization everywhere, but it was intertwined with nature almost as if it had grown there as the plants did. Trees weaved through certain pathways and the grass was greener than I had seen anywhere else. There were gardens wafting the aroma of flowers through the air, bakeries and restaurants fanning the smell of freshly baked or cooked foods, and chatter filled the air as birds chirped above.

I paused to watch the figures of ninja speed through the rooftops and I felt safe. And wasn't that something? Despite the glares Naruto and I receive, despite all the animosity, I still felt _safe_ here. Everything here, all of these wonderfully simple day to day things, came together to create Konoha and it was my _home_. Maybe this was one of the reasons why Naruto wanted to become Hokage. If it was, I guess I couldn't blame him. I'd want to protect this place too.

Shaking my head to dismiss my thoughts, I continued on my way. It didn't take long to find Hound. I walked slowly up to him while taking in the area. Training ground three was spacious and surrounded by trees on all sides. It was shaped in a rectangle with a large notch in the side where three stumps and a stone of some sort had been placed. As I stopped next to Hound, I noticed with a small amount of shock that he was out of his ANBU gear and instead in more comfortable clothes. He still had his black mask on though, but now donned a hitai-ate which covered his Uchiha eye.

I stood there staring for a moment before realizing he hadn't moved to even acknowledge me. He just stood staring down at the stone. I glanced at it and noticed it was covered in words. Curious, I walked forward and placed my hand on the cold marble and traced the engravings realizing they were all names. Tilting my head back, I took in Hounds constricted face as he continued to stand unmoving. He didn't even blink. Frowning with worry, I walked in front of him and tugged his pant leg. "Hound?"

He flinched at my voice and his visible eye trailed down noticing me. He didn't reply at first, but placed his hand on my head. We stayed that way for a while before he asked, "What are you doing here? It's late, you should be in bed."

I blinked at this and looked up at him confused. "Hound, it's almost noon. You've been missing, so I came to look for you," I said.

"Aa," he eventually replied after sluggishly looking up at the sky. "I see that now. Sorry for worrying you."

Still concerned for him, I tugged his arm down and he crouched obligingly whist continuing to stare at the stone distractedly. In a quick swipe, I pulled off his hatai-ate to feel his forehead and he looked back at me questioningly. "You're a little warm. Are you sick?" I asked.

"I'm fine," he replied as he took his forehead protector back and stood up.

I observed him for the next couple minutes as he went back into a daze. Sitting to pass time, I picked a few blades of grass and blew on each slightly until one made a small pi sound. Smiling at my accomplishment, I turned back to Hound to show him, but he was out of it. Frowning sadly, I dropped the piece of grass and just looked at the stone as he did. "What is this stone for?"

Hound didn't reply. I tugged his pants again and repeated the question. Looking down at me he answered, "It's the memorial stone."

"Oh," I glanced back to the marble. "What's a memorial stone?"

He remained silent and I almost thought I had to grab his attention again when he abruptly replied, "It holds the names for all the nin who were...killed in action."

I took notice of when he faltered near the end and asked fearfully, "Did you know anyone with their name carved into the stone?"

"…all of my precious people's names are written here."

I looked down sadly. "I'm sorry, you must miss them. But, you still have Naruto-nii and me," I tried to cheer him up.

His hand caressed my head again and I looked back up to see him giving me a hesitant smile through the mask. "I guess I do," he murmured. "Come on, let's get you home."

"Okay," I nodded and got up brushing grass off my dress. "Guess what I did today!"

"Pranked ANBU, as usual," he replied immediately as he took my hand and led me out of the training grounds.

"Not yet," I grinned. "I joined the academy!"

His next step faltered and he paused to look down at me with his eyebrows scrunched up. "What exactly did you do today while I was gone?"

I laughed at his expression, "Well…"


	26. Chapter 25

I glared stubbornly up at Hound and he stared blankly back at me from his tree. "You are lying," I said bluntly.

"I'm fine," he replied, but his chakra fluxed.

Narrowing my eyes at this, I added, "You can't lie to me. I can tell you're lying through your chakra."

He jumped down from his perch, "Shouldn't you be heading back to the Yamanaka's?"

"Don't change the subject!" I yelled. "Admit it! You're sick and need to rest!"

"I'm not sick," he ground out exasperated.

"Bullshit!" I stomped my foot only to receive a whack to my head.

"Language," he reprimanded. "Where did you even learn that anyway?"

I shot my hands to my head and rubbed the sore spot before giving him an incredulous look. "Everyone hates us. Cursing is one of the many ways they express it," I stated. "How would I not know a few words by now?"

I felt a sudden darkening in his chakra before it went back to normal. "No more cussing," he demanded.

"Fine," I shrugged. It's not like I didn't know any bad words in English anyway. "Anyway, you're sick—"

"I'm fine," Hound repeated yet _again_.

"—and need to rest," I continued. "Nee-chan used to say that if I didn't get enough sleep, my brain would turn to mush so it must be the same for everyone else. I don't want your brain to turn to mush so if you want, you can sleep in the guest bedroom from now on. It's better than sleeping in a tree," I trailed off. "I mean, I'd still have to ask Nii-chan, but I'm sure he'd say that it's fine."

"I don't sleep in the tree," he sighed. "And—"

I cut him off and pointed to the house. "Go," I demanded while trying to use killing intent for the first time, "or I will tell Jii-chan that you forgot about us this morning _because_ you didn't get enough sleep and then he will _make_ you."

He remained silent for a moment before slouching towards the house. "Your KI is pitiful," he commented.

Despite the insult, I grinned victoriously and ran ahead to lead him to the guest bedroom. It wasn't as big as the Master bedroom, but it was a decent size. It had the better view because it was on the opposite side of the house which faced Konoha too. Outside the large sliding doors in the room, you could see the entirety of the village below a small distance away. Since the forest and house is located near the Hokage Mountain, we're at a higher elevation than most other homes.

Despite knowing that no one would probably ever use the room, we supplied it with everything a normal bedroom would have. There was a sliding door that led to a stocked bathroom and an empty closet. It also had a king size platform bed with white flannel sheets, a mounted wall mirror, some shelves for books, a small desk, and a lounging chair. It was plain other than that though, but Hound seemed to not notice as he sat down on the bed and looked around with a drooping eye.

"It's weird to have you inside the house," I remarked while opening a window to let in some fresh air. "Anyway, get some rest…or else!" I turned and pointed at him only to pause when I saw he passed out right where he had sat down. I blinked once and walked over. Poking him a few times, I realized he really was asleep.

Not wanting him to remain halfway off the bed, I struggled to heave his legs onto the bed and then I straitened him out so he lay down properly. Propping a pillow under his head, I then yanked off his shoes and pulled the blankets over him. Taking off his hatai-ate and mask, I noticed he was flushed. Feeling his forehead for his temperature once more, I bit my lip concerned. "I knew you had a fever," I murmured out loud. "You've been acting strange all day too."

Making a quick decision, I rushed out of the room and grabbed a washcloth and bowl, filled it with cool water, and then returned to the guest bedroom. Setting the basin on the platform of the bed I wet the cloth and placed it on his forehead before running out again. This time, I left the house and burst my chakra to propel me into the trees until I reached the town and started traveling by rooftops. It didn't take long to reach my destination and I stood outside the flower shop nervously.

"I'm already dead if I go back to Inoichi-sensei," I started talking to myself. "I might as well postpone the inevitable as long as possible. Maybe I'll visit Nii-chan—no! No, you must do this for Hound."

I strolled into the shop awaiting my death sentence when I noticed no one at the counter. Letting out a relieved sigh, I smiled and pranced into the back room before heading out to the greenhouse. I snagged some yarrow and then went back inside searching for some peppermint oil, but frowned when I only found the plant itself.

"And what, may I ask, do you think you're doing?" the sudden voice of Inoichi came from behind me.

I froze and turned around slowly to see the most horrifying face I had ever seen. It was a cross between a constipated Uchiha and a Hyuga who had found out someone had just dyed their skin blue and intended to get revenge (I would know). Squeaking, I backed up and bowed copiously. "P-please don't kill me sensei! I had a reason to leave, I promise! I-I had to go over to the see Hokage-ojii because I was worried about not being on Nii-chan's team, but, you know, I can after all—er maybe. And I did end up getting into Ino's and Nii-chan's class and—"

"I know," he cut me off but continued to give me that _look_. "I was told offhandedly by Ino after you headed out and I expected you to be back a couple hours ago. I've spent that time looking for you…yet here you are instead."

I shivered and looked down shuffling my feet a bit. "I'm s-sorry," I apologized sincerely. "I should have waited until this afternoon to leave to see Jii-chan instead of running off like that."

His demeanor changed back to normal and he gave a long winded sigh. "Next time, at least tell me you where you are going if you need to leave. You had me worried, you know."

"Sorry," I repeated.

"Don't do it again," Inoichi instructed. "Now, tell me. Why is it that you are here now?" he gestured to the yarrow in my hand.

"Ah!" I exclaimed. "I forgot and I need to—I found some yarrow, but I can't find any peppermint oil!"

"Yarrow and peppermint oil? Fever reducers," he realized. "Is Naruto sick?"

"No, Hound-nii is!" I exclaimed. "I need to get back to check on him!"

"Hound-_nii_?" Inoichi questioned with an amused expression.

"S-shut up," I blushed at the slip-up and looked away. "Are you going to help me or not?"

He walked over to the wall and opened a shelf unit pulling out a small bottle. "I'm glad to see you are remembering more than just the poisonous uses of plants, Hoshi-chan," he observed as he placed the bottle of peppermint oil in my hand. "Perhaps you'd make a better medic than poison mistress?" he suggested hopefully.

"Medic?" I asked. "What are they?"

"I'm surprised you don't know," he smiled. "You had been raised by Tsunade-sama for two or so years, weren't you?"

I held the bottle and the yarrow to my chest sadly. Tsunade and Shizune hadn't sent me any letters in a long time. I was beginning to miss them. "What does Nee-chan have to do with this?" I inquired.

"She is known as the greatest medical-nin and debated to be the world's most powerful kunoichi," Inoichi declared.

"R-really? Nee-chan is?" I asked in awe.

"So it is said," he confirmed, "and it seems you are following in her footsteps," he nodded down at the two remedies in my hands.

I glanced at the herb and bottle and suddenly panicked. "I have to get back to Hound!" I blurted and hurried to the door. "I'll see you later this afternoon since I have to meet up with Ino. Oh and, uh, thank you telling me about Nee-chan!"

"Anytime," he smiled as I left the store with a grin on my face.

A medic-nin, huh? I wonder what they do.

* * *

**I've been asked a few times about Hoshi's memories and I promise all will be revealed, but not yet. I'm aiming for character interactions/development as well as introducing the academy years right now. Reasonably placed time skips may take place from here on out in order to advance the timeline every once in a while. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading! Please review, I ****_love_**** reviews! ****_All_**** of them are loved and help greatly in the writing process **(That includes your reviews Sour. You're one of the many reviewers I anticipate to hear from after each chapter and I promise, I have never deleted reviews and never will)**. **


	27. Chapter 26

With a heavy sigh of relief, I switched out the now warm water in the basin to cooler water. After testing to make sure it wasn't too frigid, I poured in a bit of the peppermint oil and replaced the washcloth on Hound's head with a new one from the mixture. The peppermint would act as a cool compress and open pores as well as relieve congestion if he happened to have a cold. Using some of the remaining oil, I also doused a stick and started burning it as an incense to ease breathing and kill germs in the air.

I was tempted to go to the hospital, but it only seemed like a minor fever so I decided to wait it out. If it got worse all of a sudden or the fever didn't break in the next day, I'd go. But, for now I didn't see a point in rushing over to the hospital for something I could probably fix on my own with some herbs.

Humming, I returned to the kitchen and started to prepare the yarrow for a tea. As I was chopping up the herb, I realized how gratifying it was to be able to help and do something. A year ago, I'd probably have been panicking over this and would have rushed to the hospital for help right away. Now? I wasn't all that worried. I knew how to cure a fever and have done so before on myself on the occasions I became sick in the past year. I never had done so for Naruto though. He rarely got sick and the one time when he did it was really bad and he had to go to the hospital with Ojii-chan to get better.

With a smile, I decided I'd really have to thank Inoichi-sensei next time I saw him. He's done so much to help me and continues teach me everything he can when he never even had to in the first place. I just walked in the store and he declared he was going to teach me. I mean, he did technically threaten me to no service if I didn't, but how many others can say that they know the things I now know because of him? Not many that aren't a part of the Yamanaka clan, I'm guessing. They damn well have more than average knowledge on every plant out there. If there is a way to exploit the foliage around them, they will. Don't even get me started on their clan jutsus.

I left my thoughts and grabbed a pot as well as a cooking thermometer to begin boiling some water on the stove. Then I pulled out a porcelain teapot instead of the metal one since I didn't want the tea to have a metallic taste and poured hot tap water into it to warm the teapot. Leaning against the counter, I stared at the yarrow silently wishing it had been dried so it would have been better to use to make tea.

After I saw that the water had started bubbling, I placed the thermometer into the pot and waited until it reached 210˚F before pouring some yarrow into the bowl. Done with preparing the tea, I placed a lid over the bowl and set a timer for seven minutes before heading back to check on Hound.

Sliding open the bedroom door, I brightened when I saw Hound was sitting up if not a little disoriented. "You're awake!" I smiled.

His eyes trailed over to me and I looked at the red Uchiha eye in wonder. He seemed to notice this and closed that eye while covering his face with his hand. "You took my mask off…again," he sighed.

"Un," I nodded. "You have a fever. I told you that you're sick, but nooo, you said you were fine."

"I am fine," he said monotonously.

"Denial," I coughed. "I'm pretty sure that passing out halfway off the bed proves my point. I had to push you all the way on the bed, you know! You're heavy!"

He remained silent seeming to ponder on something and the washcloth that had been on his head choose that time to fall off. I walked over and picked it up, setting it into the basin. "You're sick. You're staying here until you're not sick. Oh, and I'm making tea which you're going to drink to lower your fever," I stated.

"Naruto is getting out of the academy soon," he replied and made to get up.

I went to push him back down, but failed so I channeled some chakra into my hand and shoved him back down easily. "One day without you guarding won't kill us. We can handle ourselves. We sneak away from every other guard when you leave on missions," I reminded.

"When did you learn how to do use your chakra like that?" he muttered eyeing me.

I raised my eyebrows in thought, "I think when I was around three and a half? I've only been able to use the chakra strength without the possible backlash since last month though."

"…backlash?"

"It used to only be able to use it every two out of three times. The third time it wouldn't work and would backlash instead with a really painful burning sensation for a while. I hated it," I waved him off.

"And you taught yourself this?" he seemed slightly stressed.

"Yup," I stated proudly.

He stared at me for a moment before asking, "Where?"

My mouth clamped shut and I remained silent. "Secret," I said.

Hound sighed, "I understand that you don't want to tell anyone, but someone other than the two of you needs to know where you are running off to. Training alone at both of your ages is dangerous and—"

"We're careful though! I always monitor Nii-chan's chakra when—" I covered my mouth and looked away.

He eyed me warily but continued. "It makes me wonder if you both are being taught by someone. You both return as if you've just learned something," he leaned down and grasped my ankle. "And this is not something you would learn from simply training."

My stomach dropped as he pointed to the small seal I had placed on my ankle as a mosquito and tick repellant. My lip trembled at being caught and I looked up to the stern expression Hound was giving me. "I-I did teach myself that, I promise," I stuttered quietly.

"Fuinjutsu is not a common art and definitely not something that can be self-taught until after you know the basics. I've also seen both of you practice taijutsu stances that are _not_ any academy forms. You both speak in some sort of code. _Who_ has been teaching you, Hoshi?" he demanded letting go of my ankle.

"I said no one!" I cried grabbing my dress nervously. "We teach ourselves…we teach ourselves!"

"Hoshi, just tell me," he said without compromise.

"I t-told you," I blubbered out when suddenly I heard the timer go off in the kitchen. "Tea. I-it's done. I'm going to get the tea."

I rushed out of the room towards the kitchen before he could stop me. Quickly turning off the stove and straining the leaves out, I just left the prepared teapot on the counter and sunk to the floor crying. I didn't want to break the promise with Nii-chan. It was a secret—_our_ secret.

"But now I have no choice," I whispered out loud in realization. "I have to tell him."


	28. Chapter 27

Balancing the tray of tea, I walked slowly back to the guest bedroom. Knocking once, I slid the door open and stood there. Hound stared at me patient yet impatient at the same time and I looked down before walking in closing the door behind me. "I brought the tea," I said quietly as I set the tray on the bed. Pouring out a cup, I handed it to him and added, "It's yarrow so it's quite bitter, but it will bring your fever down. I brought honey in case you wanted to sweeten it."

He took the cup from me and glanced at it before taking a sip. Immediately, Hound drew back a bit and dipped his head. I gave a small side smile and took some honey from the tray and handed it to him then watched as he barely added any of the honey before tasting the drink again satisfied. Curious at this, I asked, "Do you not like sweet things?"

He set the drink down, "Not particularly."

"Really?" I was surprised. "Not even chocolate?"

He actually shivered. "No," he certified. "I do not."

I giggled at his reaction and smiled happily. The tension and worry I felt before had been relieved a bit. "Hound?"

He took another sip of the tea and gazed at me to show I had his attention. I stood there for a second before climbing up on the opposite side of the bed and sitting down next to him. "I want to tell you, but I can't," I said. He opened his mouth to retort but I continued, "At least not until Nii-chan comes home. We promised to keep it a secret and I refuse to break a promise with him."

His mouth closed again and he nodded in understanding. I smiled and we sat in a comfortable silence.

Then I got bored.

* * *

"Monoporii?" Hound questioned as I set the fancy wooden game board on the mattress and started pulling out game pieces from the drawers I had built into it.

"_Monopoly,"_ I corrected. "It's a board game."

He started looking at all the cards which had words in both English and Kana before he began examining the neatly designed game board itself. "And you made this?" he asked.

"Un!" I smiled proudly. "It took me a long time, but it's all finished now. It's boring to do nothing while Naruto-nii is at the academy so I started cooking, but then I couldn't eat everything I made so I started making this to pass time instead."

It was true; the game had taken me a long time to make—about a month and a half. Inoichi had a friend over one afternoon while Ino and I were working in the shop. They had been playing some board game called shogi or something. A chain broke when I saw them playing it and it brought to mind several games I had never seen before.

Later that afternoon, I decided to make my favorite one, Monopoly, which I carved and painted carefully over the past few weeks. I even went and bought some really nice paper to use for the cards in the deck. I was lazy on the game tokens though. I doubted I could carve a miniature car or train and I didn't think anyone would even understand what those things were; I barely understood what they were! So, I just used some flat marbles.

"This is very…descriptive," he commented as he read the direction book I made. "Did you really make this?"

I rolled my eyes and started handing out cash to each of us, "This is going to be your fake money that you start with. I'm going to be the banker since you don't know how to play yet and you need to choose what colored marble you want to have as your player piece."

He looked at them before mumbling blue and started inspecting the fake paper money I handed to him. I tossed him the blue marble and choose the red one for myself without another thought. I set a orange marble to the side as well as some start up cash for Naruto in case he wanted to join in when he got home.

"So what is the point of this game?" Hound inquired while leaning over for the direction sheet again.

"To win," I smirked. He sent me a small glower so I explained, "The basic idea of _Monopoly_ is to buy properties and when somebody lands on your property, they pay you rent. If you have all of the properties of a particular color then you can start developing it with houses and then hotels, increasing the rent. There's a lot more involved, but you'll figure it out as you play. The cards are self-explanatory and you roll the dice to move forward."

"A game based off of business then," he muttered under his breath. "Where did you get the idea to make this from?"

"My head," I stated. "Where else would I get the idea from?"

He sighed and asked one last question about the gameplay, "How do you win?"

Grinning, I finished setting things up on the board and turned back to him, "The goal is to run all the other players into bankruptcy."

His eyebrows rose, "That's a little harsh."

"It's nothing personal," I quoted with a smile, "It's business."

"Uh huh," he looked at the board tiredly. "This seems somewhat complex; are you positive you made this?"

I flushed red this time and yelled, "Just because it's complex doesn't mean I didn't make it, damnit!"

He flicked his marble and it hit my forehead, "No cursing."

Rubbing the sore spot, I mumbled out sorry and blinked, abruptly turning my head towards the window seeing a flash of blonde hair. Grinning widely, I stood up and bounced off the bed and rushed out the room.

_"I'm home!"_ I heard Naruto call as he entered the house.

"Nii-chan!" I threw my arms open and tacked him into a hug. We both fell with an oomph.

_"I still haven't gotten my shoes off,"_ he complained.

I laughed at this and climbed off of him. He took this chance to take off his blue sandals before walking inside. I followed with a smile then frowned and grabbed his sleeve, _"I gotta tell you something. It's important."_

Naruto stopped and tilted his head back then turned with a worried expression. "_Have you been crying?" _ he asked and poked my cheek.

I nodded and looked down. "_Hound, he's sick. He has a fever and is in the guest bedroom—"_

_"Eh?!"_ he exclaimed. _"I didn't know ANBU could get sick! They're always so..."_

I sighed exasperated, but gave a small smile, "_Hound's different."_

_"True,"_ he grinned. _"He helped me with _shuriken_ throwing yesterday."_

_"He did?" _I asked excitedly. "_How come I wasn't there?"_

_"You passed out at the _kotatsu, _remember?" _he started walking to the living room. _"I had to carry you to bed since you wouldn't wake up."_

"_I was wondering how I got to bed last night,"_ I remarked.

Naruto tossed his school supplies on the table. _"So why were you crying?"_ he turned and asked. "_You said Hound had a fever, but you know how to fix that."_

"_That's not it. Hound…he…knows. Or he doesn't know everything; he's just suspecting some things."_

_"He knows? What are you talking about?" _Naruto panicked. "_If it's about the prank on the _Nara_ clan, it wasn't me! It was _Kiba_! I might have dared him to do it, but still!"_

_"Uh," _I stared at him confused. "_I'm not talking about a prank, _Nii-chan."

He gave a sigh of relief but then it was his turn to look confused, _"If it wasn't a prank, then what?"_

_"Hound thinks someone is training us secretly. He said that we can't know the stuff we know without being taught by someone," _I swallowed_._

_"That's stupid," _Naruto scrunched his eyebrows. "_We did teach ourselves."_

I shook my head. "_He saw the seal on our ankles and told me I shouldn't know how to do that. Apparently fuinjutsu's rare or something. He's suspicious!" _I exclaimed._ "He kept asking me questions; we have to tell him!"_

_"What?" _his mouth dropped. _"But…"_

I shuffled my feet and grabbed his hand starting towards the guest bedroom. "_We'll tell _Hound_-_nii_ over Monopoly," _I said._ "Okay?"_

"Hound-_nii_?" he questioned with a thoughtful expression. I blushed. That was twice today I slipped up, I chastised myself. Naruto then stopped and held me back,_ "Wait a minute,_ y_ou got Monopoly out without telling me?"_

_"I just told you," _I deadpanned.

He flushed and walked ahead of me, "_I knew that."_

I laughed lightly at his antics as we stopped at the door. With a quick knock, I opened it to see Hound look up from the game instructions. "Nii-chan's home," I said a little quieter than I intended. The nervousness from before was returning and I turned to Naruto for a bit of comfort, but he seemed just as nervous as well as in shock for some reason.

"Y-you're not wearing a mask o-or hiding your face!" he stuttered out and then covered his head protectively whispering, "The world must be ending."

After a moment, I burst out laughing and nudged his shoulder with mine, "You always know how to cheer me up."

"Huh?" Naruto scratched the back of his neck before grinning. "Uh, yeah, I guess I do!"

"I'm sick. I have an excuse not to wear it," I heard Hound mutter.

"Ha!" I pointed. "So you finally admit that you're sick!"

"Oh?" Hound smiled in a confused manner. "Did I say that? I don't recall."

Naruto snickered and I pouted as we both climbed onto the bed and sat around the game board. "So, you think someone is training us," Naruto got right to the point as he set his orange marble at the go space then sort his money.

"Isn't there?" Hound questioned as he mimicked Naruto by setting his blue marble at the go space as well.

"I already said there wasn't," I moped and added my red marble to the mix. "We really do teach ourselves."

"The village library does not supply the things to teach you fuinjutsu at your age, let alone supply teaching scrolls for your taijutsu styles," Hound countered. "And even if you did 'borrow' the fuinjutsu scrolls, they're all theories at best."

I looked away and muttered, "I'm not allowed into the village library anymore anyway."

Hound's hand clenched at this and he looked to Naruto, "Is this true?"

Naruto just shrugged in agreement with me and rolled the dice. "It's always been that way for me so it's no big deal," he stated then inspected his dice roll. "Four?! Income tax on the first turn," he muttered sadly while paying the bank.

"Do you even know what income tax is?" Hound asked while rolling the dice realizing he had to roll next.

"When you have a mission, part of your payment is given to the village, right? That's income tax," Naruto replied.

I nodded in agreement and whispered to Hound, "It's important future stuff to know for when he becomes Hokage."

Having heard me, Naruto grinned. Hound chuckled while moving nine onto Connecticut Avenue. "So, I just pay the price on the board and then I own the property?"

"You can't buy property the first time around," I replied while rolling the dice for my turn.

Naruto looked to Hound and changed the topic away from the game again by suddenly stating, "You'd have to be family."

I turned to look at Naruto surprised, but realized what he meant and silently agreed as I moved my red marble to Reading Railroad. Hound just looked over at him questioningly.

"If you want to know our secret, you'd have to be family," Naruto repeated with a sly yet hesitant smile. "Hoshi already calls you Hound-nii sometimes and…I wouldn't mind having an Aniki."

Silence surrounded us. Both Naruto and I looked to Hound expectantly while he sat wide eyed glancing between us probably from shock. It was a bit of an unpredictable declaration to ask Hound to become a part of the family, but that's Naruto for you. Hound started to open and close his mouth a few times with an unsure expression as if trying to decide what to say so I decided to try and help him along. "Family to me is unconditional," I supplied while smiling towards Naruto.

He nodded catching on and added, "Family is someone to protect no matter what and give comfort and love to," he grinned back at me.

"It's someone who will be there when you're down," I continued, "to help you get back up."

"Someone who won't judge you!" Naruto said firmly. "Even when you might have messed up 'ttebayo!"

"In the simplest of definitions, that is family to us. Naruto and I already started to consider you someone like this," I looked to Naruto and he nodded in agreement to what I said so I turned back to Hound. "The question is…do you consider us this as well?"

Hound remained quiet, looking down with his face unseeable for a couple minutes and we sat there hoping, pleading silently, that he wouldn't turn us away. And I was truly scared. What if he said no? What if he denied us and left our lives forever? I didn't want that, but we had just taken that risk.

Many more antagonizing minutes passed. And then, finally, Hound rasped out a quiet, "Yes."

Naruto suddenly hiccuped and I felt tears prick my eyes before both of us crashed Hound into a hug. Relief flooded my system and I cried whilst hearing Naruto do the same. Hound stiffened at to contact, but relaxed after a moment and pat both of our heads awkwardly muttering to himself, "What did I just sign myself up for?"

I choked out a laugh and muttered into his shoulder, "Family."

* * *

**I had trouble writing this chapter. I hope this satisfies? Please review! I love reviews! :D**


	29. Chapter 28

After a couple minutes, Naruto and I calmed down and we sat on the bed grinning like no tomorrow. "So, what's going to happen now?" I asked. "Now that you're family, we need ground rules!"

Naruto puckered in thought and asked Hound, "Does this mean we can't prank you anymore?"

"No," he immediately replied with a serious expression.

I nodded in agreement, "Nii-chan and I don't prank each other so I guess that means we can't prank you anymore. What about an exception every April 1st or for when you deserve it?"

Hound sighed, "I'll make sure I'm away on a mission that day."

I lay back in thought once more. "You're not allowed to wear your masks at the house anymore either," I decided. "I feel like you're screaming out a challenge to take them off and it's not like we haven't seen your face before."

"You have to come to dinner now too!" Naruto added. "That's family time, okay?"

"Dinner's at six. Oh, and this is your bedroom now instead of the guest bedroom! Although, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to," I trailed off. "You probably already have a house or something."

"Not that you ever sleep there," Naruto snickered. "And you're not our guard anymore!"

"Un!" I smiled. "No more hiding in trees! You can just hang out in the house or wherever."

"And…uh…that's it?" Naruto looked up in thought before shrugging. "That's all I can think of off the top of my head."

We looked to Hound who seemed deep in thought. Snapping my fingers in front of his face, he blinked and looked down at us. "Hm?"

"It's your turn," I stated.

"Aa. I have missions often, but…I'll try to come to dinner. I'd like to say no to the mask rule," he insisted.

"We'll just continue to steal it until you agree," Naruto promised.

"I guessed as much. Fine, I agree. But, no more trying to take my books," Hound looked pointedly at Naruto who pouted, "and I'd also like back those scrolls you took from me a little over a year ago, Hoshi-chan."

I blushed, "You noticed? I thought you were unconscious in Nii-chan's pee."

"I also ask that you never bring that incident up again," he said dryly.

Naruto turned his face away to cover up a laugh and I just smiled apologetically, "I don't have them anymore. I lost the first two scrolls when you took us home that night. They probably fell out of my shirt somewhere and the third…I accidentally activated it and flooded a cave system for a few days."

"Good thing we were able to walk on water," Naruto gave me a teasing smile.

I looked down, "It wasn't one of my best moments, okay? It was my first time looking at a premade seal."

Naruto laughed while Hound on the other hand was horrified. "You activated it? Did you even consider what it was before you activated it?" he seemed pained.

"Of course I did!" I assured him. "I did manage to read the word water before Naruto-nii tripped into me while working on his katas. I wouldn't have activated it on purpose, but I pulsed chakra to my hands to reinforce my fall subconsciously which triggered it…and boom! Instant water gun to the face."

"It was funny," Naruto said positively gleeful. I sent him a glower. Hound however still looked very pained at this discovery.

"What were the other scrolls for? I lost them before I could look at them," I asked him curiously.

"Explosive seals," Hound replied wearily. "Be glad it was the water seal that you activated and not one of the other two."

Naruto and I paled. "I think I might have spent my lifetime of luck right then," I muttered then turned to Naruto. "Speaking of luck, _want to go to a casino later? I spent a lot on the paper for Monopoly so…"_

_"Sure,"_ Naruto shrugged while I felt a sudden spike of ire.

"You spoke in code," Hound said. "What did you say?"

"It's not a code, it's a language!" Naruto replied. "It's _English _dattebayo!"

"A language?" Hound appeared skeptical. "There aren't any other languages."

"Of course there isn't," I smirked. "_English_ shouldn't be known at all."

"Hoshi-chan made the language," Naruto supplied. "And then she taught me."

"You made a language?" Hound asked doubtfully.

I shifted, "I don't know about making it…but, I just knew it?"

"She got a letter from her Onee-san and couldn't read it," Naruto started to explain for me. "The caretaker's at the orphanage weren't much help so she just decided to write back and tell her she couldn't read it."

I nodded and continued from there, "Thing is, since I couldn't read, I obviously couldn't write. So, I just wrote the letter in _English_. Like this," I picked up a card from the Monopoly set and pointed to the English written on it. "I understood it, so I thought everyone would, but Naruto saw the letter and told me otherwise. He taught me how to write Kana and I taught him _English _in exchange."

Hound took a moment to let that sink in then asked disbelievingly, "So you made an entire language in order to write a letter?"

"I guess?" I replied uncertain.

"You're positive that you didn't learn that from someone else?" he tried.

"Nope, I just knew it," I said again. "I've told you enough times that we haven't been taught by someone!"

"And the fuinjutsu and taijutsu that you both have been learning?" Hound delved.

I turned to Naruto with a hesitant look. "How about we just show you," Naruto offered with a sly smile. "And since you're sick, you won't even have to leave the bed!"

Hound seemed uncertain at Naruto's devious expression while I just went along with it and turned my back to both of them. Pulling down my dress' right sleeve to reveal my back, I channeled a bit of chakra to make the seal noticeable.

"What is that?" Hound demanded with a hint of worry in his voice.

"A seal," Naruto answered.

"I figured that," Hound replied. "I'm trying to read what it is for, but it keeps moving." I felt a brush of warm fingers over my right shoulder blade and I jumped in surprise. A quick tingling sensation covered the skin there and a hiss was heard from Hound.

"Woah, are you okay?" Naruto asked from behind me. Immediately, I turned around and saw Hound holding his own hand which was blistering.

"Maa, this brings back memories. Same hand too," Hound commented. "Though, I'd like to know how you just electrocuted me just now."

Eyes widening at seeing the burn, I blurted, "Be right back," and rushed right out of the room and quickly entered the small house garden. I began scanning it for a certain weed that was really common: chickweed. Thankfully even in winter, Konoha was relatively warm and so most all plants, including weeds, grew all year long. Not even fifteen seconds upon looking for the weed, I picked a whole patch of the entanglement. Heading back inside, I washed the leaves in the kitchen, mashed them and put a little vinegar into the mix, and headed back the bedroom with some fresh poultice for burns in less than three minutes.

"Here," I breathed slightly out of breath from rushing while climbing back onto the bed. "For the electrical burn."

"Thank you," Hound smiled. "Inoichi is teaching you well, I see."

"Uh huh," I started applying the poultice to his burn.

"There is a seal on your back," he continued like there had been no interruption, "and it just electrocuted me."

"I think we covered that," Naruto said while watching me work.

"It was moving," Hound stated with some disbelief. "Seals don't do that."

That got my attention. "They don't?" I looked up. "But, It's definitely a seal so your assumption must be wrong."

"From that, I'm going to guess that you know what the seal does already," Hound supposed.

Naruto pulled out a kunai from one of his pockets. I raised an eyebrow wondering why he was carrying it on him, but shrugged and turned my back to him. "Go ahead," I said.

From the corner of my eye I saw Naruto fling the kunai straight towards the seal to become resealed, but Hound reacted by snagging it mid-air. "Any particular reason you are trying to stab each other," he narrowed his eyes at both of us.

"If you had let the kunai fly, you might have found out," I smiled. "It's okay. I won't get injured."

"No," he replied tucking the kunai away in one of his own pockets.

Naruto pouted, "You ruin our fun. Fine, we'll do it the other way. Hoshi, I want a kunai."

I set my right hand behind my lower back and caught the newly appeared kunai before it hit the comforter. Pulling it in front of me, I showed it to Hound. "Consider the seal a condensed library chock full of scrolls and weapons among other things," I said. "I'm pretty much a humanized storage scroll with knowledge I can pull from at the tip of a hat."

"That's not even the best part," Naruto continued not giving Hound a chance to process what we just revealed. He reached out his hand to touch the seal, but was stopped by Hound who blocked his path.

"You'll get electrocuted," he warned.

"It's never shocked me before," Naruto frowned and placed his hand on my shoulder blade anyway. "Nothing happened. See?"

"Perhaps…the seal doesn't shock blood relations," Hound pondered.

"Actually," I interrupted. "That can't be right. Tsunade-nee used to carry me all the time and she never got shocked."

"If I recall correctly, her grandmother was an Uzumaki," he countered not missing a beat. "So she is considered your blood relative as well."

"W-well, Shizune-nee carried me sometimes too," I tried to think of occasions where my seal had probably been touched, "and Ino's done my hair plenty of times. She has a habit of pinching my shoulder if I don't sit still."

"Maybe it's just you," Naruto teased Hound.

"I did try to kill you when I first met you," I muttered offhandedly. "Not that I got very far with that."

Hound frowned at this. "So you're saying I am being ostracized by a seal," he questioned.

"Try again and find out," Naruto suggested. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"I can make more burn poultice in case you do get electrocuted again," I assured him.

Hound heaved a sigh and I turned back around as I felt warm fingers touch the seal. "Nothing, eh?" I heard Hound mutter. "At least I'm not going to get fried from ever giving you a hug."

"You were going to give me a hug!?" I squealed. "You've never actually hugged me before! I've always had to hug you!"

Hound withdrew his hand, "It was a hypothetical statement. Don't take it too literally."

"So no hugs?" Naruto asked sadly. "Not even one?"

"Pweeeease?" I clasped my hands together and joined Naruto in the pleading. "It's only one hug!"

"Or two, if you count it as one for each of us," Naruto gave him puppy dog eyes.

I pointed to Naruto, "Are you going to deny that face? You can't deny that face!"

Hound just leaned back into his pillow and looked up to the ceiling ignoring us. Our begging went on for quite a few minutes until finally he gave in and squeezed us both into a reluctant hug.

"Success!" Naruto beamed. "Hoshi, activate the seal!"

"Un!" I channeled all my chakra into the seal whilst cuddling into the hug.

"Wait, what are you both—" Hound cut himself off as the surroundings morphed into that of my mindscape. Immediately, Hound dropped us on the ground and pulled out a kunai taking up a fighting stance as he glanced around in confusion. Seeing nothing he looked pointedly down at us with killing intent rising. "…you have ten seconds to tell me where we are before I decide you are enemy infiltrators and kill you."

Our eyes widened and we put our hands up in fear. "You're in my mindscape! Please don't kill us!" I blurted while Naruto screamed, "I'm too young to die! I'm still not Hokage 'ttebayo!"

Hound's hold on the kunai slackened and he glanced around warily, "You said we're where exactly?"

"My mindscape!" I put my hands down and explained, "When I channel all my chakra into the seal, anyone who is touching it, as well as myself, are pulled into my head."

"Cool, isn't it?" Naruto looked around. "Although I wish her mindscape had more light like mine. You can barely see anything here!"

I puffed my cheeks, "At least my mindscape isn't a bunch of sewers!"

"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "My mindscape is awesome!"

"Can someone please explain to me what is going on?!" Hound cut in between us.

We both turned to see a surprisingly stressed Hound. Glancing at each other, we began to explain.


	30. Chapter 29

Hound was not having a good day; I could tell. He was cradling his face with his hand as he sat leaning against a tree and occasionally looked up muttering indiscernible things under his breath. I sat in the tall grass playing with my blue beanie while Naruto messed with my hair.

We had spent a last hour simply trying to explain that we were in my mindscape, not in some enemy territory, and how we got here. Truthfully, I had started to believe Hound had taken in too much information for one day and was in permanent denial. His fever probably wasn't helping either; He was starting to act like brain dead idiot.

"So are we in your mindscape?" Hound asked again looking around with half-lidded eyes.

Naruto groaned and thumped his head into my back in frustration, "You've asked that question a bazillion times. The answer is yes already!"

"I did?" Hound rolled his eyes up in thought.

"Maybe we should just explain everything to you tomorrow," I said hesitantly. "You're still sick and I don't think you're all in the right mind right now. You need rest!"

"I'm fine," Hound sent a small glower towards me. "Just continue explaining and please don't spring any more surprise teleportations on me."

"It's not teleportation 'ttebayo!" Naruto yelled flinging a strand of my hair towards him like a whip. It missed. "We've already went over this!"

I sighed and tried a different tactic. "Hound-nii, I promised Ino that I'd visit her after the academy got out which had to have been at least two hours ago! Can we please finish explaining tomorrow? I'm already late as is!"

"It's okay to be late," he murmured. "Lateness is good."

"No it's not!" I whined.

He seemed to ponder over something before slumping into the trunk tiredly. "Just take us home," he paused and then shot us a panicked expression. "You do know how to return us home, right?!"

"He is so out of it," Naruto whispered to me while nodding to Hound who gave a sigh of relief.

I smiled warmly and whispered back, "But, didn't you hear? He just called the house _home_."

"He's halfway delusional," Naruto shook his head and showed me he finished braiding my hair. "I don't think that counts."

Plopping my hat back on, I got up and brushed off my dress out of habit. "Delusional or not, he still said it! That has to count for something!" I fist-pumped.

"Eh, whatever you say," Naruto shrugged getting up as well.

We both looked at the halfway asleep Hound and I gave a small laugh. "I think we probably should have explained things before springing the seal on him."

"Yeah," Naruto scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I wanted to see his reaction though."

"He thought about killing us and probably went into mental shock afterwards," I shifted my eyes to Naruto. "I don't think that was one of your best ideas."

"He's just tired," Naruto defended walking forward and crouching in front of Hound. "Right?"

Hound stared listlessly at the both of us before his gaze trailed over to Naruto and scrunched up his eyebrows, "A mini Minato?"

Naruto looked over to me confused, "Did he just call me a mini harbor?"

I nodded snuffling a laugh and Naruto shot a glare at Hound. "What the hell, Aniki!?" he kicked his foot. "Snap out of it!"

Hound's head simply clunked back into the trunk. Blinking, I walked over and flicked his forehead. "Oiii, wake up!"

"No use," Naruto shook his head. "He's dead to the world."

"I think this is why ANBU don't get sick," I murmured. "This is really bad. Maybe I should have taken him to the hospital?"

"But, this is just your mindscape," Naruto remarked. "His mind is what was brought here, not his body. His fever shouldn't affect him here, right?"

I paled. "Then…we really did put him into mental shock or something! What do we do!?"

"I-I don't know!" he reacted to my panic and pulled at at his hair. "Uh, we gotta hide the body!"

"Yeah! W-wait, what?" I sent him an incredulous look. "He's brain dead, not _dead_ dead!"

"Oh," Naruto calmed down. "So, we don't hide the body?"

I sighed shaking my head and grabbed onto both of their sleeves then imagined waking up. The surroundings morphed back to the bed where we were still being hugged by Hound like before, except Hound was currently passed out.

Smiling, I cuddled into his side. "I'm seriously thinking about skipping the meeting with Ino now. Is that sad or what?" I giggled.

Naruto, who was on the other side of Hound, was relishing in the rare sense of affection as well. "Hoshi-chan?"

"Hmm?" I glanced over to him and he appeared a little sad. "What is it?"

"_Can we keep that we know about the nine-tailed fox a secret still?"_ Naruto asked uncertainly.

_"Yeah, if you want,"_ I murmured in agreement. "_I still want to find out when someone is going to actually tell us about the whole thing anyway."_

_"And your memories," _he added. "_I don't want him to know about the ones that are chained up."_

I raised a brow at this, "_Why?"_

_"We saw the nine-tailed fox in it and that it was sealed into me," _he reminded. "_If he saw it, he'd know that we know."_

_"Ohhh,"_ I nodded. "_I understand, _Nii-chan. _I promise I won't tell him."_

_"Thank you,"_ he murmured and he snuggled into Hound. We all stayed that way for a while until Naruto eventually got up. "Are you still going to Ino's?" he asked.

I hid my face into Hound's side and gave him a quick squeeze before I sat up. "Yeah. I promised I would," I rolled off the bed.

"I'm taking you then," Naruto declared. "It's getting dark."

"Okay," I followed him out of the room. "Ojii-chan asked about you earlier today and wanted you to visit sometime."

"Really?" he asked while we put our shoes on. "I guess I could see him after I drop you off."

"If you do, can you tell him Hound-nii's sick and is staying in bed to rest?" I asked. "Actually, let me write you a letter with his symptoms to give him in case Jii-chan decides to send him to the hospital."

"Alright," Naruto agreed as I headed to the kitchen stealing one of his notebooks from his backpack. "Hey, what time is it?" he called.

I looked over at the clock. "It's six-thirty already!" I yelled back as I wrote the letter.

Naruto walked into the kitchen with a pained look. "No wonder I'm so hungry," he whined rubbing his tummy. "I think I might go to Ichiraku's too. Do you want me to grab you a bowl to-go for when you get home?"

"Could you?" I asked ripping the paper out of the notebook and handing it to him. "Give this to Jii-chan."

"Okay," he tucked it into his back pocket. "Let's go already. I'm starving!"

With a grin, I eyed him and he got the idea. In less than a second, we both sprinted down the hall and left the house bursting through the front door racing to the edge of the property.

He won…again.

* * *

"Why is it that every time I invite you over after the academy is over that you're late?" Ino complained with her hands on her hips.

"Something came up?" I fidgeted under her gaze. "Sorry."

"Mou," she shook her head and moved to the side to let me in. "Hurry up! Sakura only gets to stay over until seven!"

"Sakura?" I questioned. "Is that the girl you were telling me about?"

"Yeah," she led me upstairs. "We thought you weren't coming so we started without you, sorry."

"Started without me?" I tilted my head confused as we entered her bedroom. "What did you—"

"Get off the ground, Ino!" A pink haired girl called tossing a pillow at us from where she was up on the bed. "It's hot lava!"

I stared in confusion at the room. It was covered in laundry and pillows were strewn everywhere which was very unlike how clean it usually was. Ino screamed playfully and jumped onto a pile of clothes. "Come on, Hoshi! You're on the hot lava!"

I looked down at where I was standing on the floor and jumped onto a nearby cushion and off of the 'lava'. Saluting the pinkette, I called, "Uzumaki Hoshi at your service, captain! What is our objective?"

She blushed but replied, "My name is Haruno Sakura and your aim is…to get to the kitchen and bring back snacks!"

"Understood!" I grinned. "Ino, assist!"

"Hai!" she threw a huge pile of laundry at me which smacked me in the face. I fell onto the floor from the force and I heard Ino give out a pleased laugh. "That's what you get for being late!"

"Oh no! Hoshi died!" Sakura cried hopping over on pillows towards my 'dead body'. "May she rest in peace."

I pushed the clothing off of me spitting a sock out of my mouth and tackled Ino. "I live again as the lava monster! Grrr!" I tickled her. "Fear me!"

"No!" she choked out between laughs. "Sakura save me!"

I felt a sudden ticklish sensation on my sides and giggled releasing Ino to try to go after Sakura instead. By the time it turned into an all-out tickle war, we heard a knock on the door. Stopping, we all turned to a highly amused Inoichi. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but Sakura-chan's mother is here to pick her up," he said.

"Awww," we whined getting up, but rushed downstairs with Inoichi following us from behind.

"Already?" I asked. "I only just got here."

"It's your fault for being late," Ino said as we all walked downstairs.

Frowning, I mumbled a sorry and gave an apologetic smile to Sakura, "It was nice meeting you!"

"You too!" she smiled then caught sight of her mother and rushed over to give her a hug. "Mommy!"

I stood to the side nervously as Inoichi greeted Sakura's mother who then crouched down to give a hug to Ino. It made me feel strangely out of place, especially when the mother noticed me. "Oh? And who might you be?"

I stepped forward and gave a quick bow, "Uzumaki Hoshi, ma'am. Nice you meet you."

"Uzumaki?" she whispered and sent Inoichi a small patronizing look before regarding me with a critical glare. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, I suppose. Come on, Sakura. Let's go."

"Huh? O-okay," she managed to say as she was tugged out the door. "Later Ino! Bye Hoshi!"

"See you tomorrow!" Ino said and I waved sadly as the door slammed shut.

The three of us remained standing in a slightly awkward silence until Inoichi cleared his throat, "Have you had dinner yet, Hoshi-chan?"

I turned and looked up at him, "No, but Nii-chan said he was going to bring home some ramen to eat. I should probably head home."

"What? Not you too," Ino complained. "You just got here!"

"I know, but Hound-nii is sick and…yeah," I trailed off trying to think of an excuse to head home. Sakura's Mom's reaction to me had just left a bad taste in my mouth and now I kind of felt bad for coming at all. "Bye," I murmured quickly leaving before they said anything else.

What a way to make a good day end on a bad note. Some things never change.


	31. Chapter 30

I sat at the kotatsu nodding off as I waited for Naruto to come home. With a large yawn, I thunked my head onto the table and closed my eyes giving into the urge to sleep right as I heard the front door slide open. Turning my head to the side, I stared tiredly at the kitchen door as Naruto walked in.

"Hoshi-chan!" he brightened sitting into the seat next to me. "I went to pick you back up, but Inoichi-san said you went home on your own. Are you okay?"

"Un," I murmured then caught a certain smell in the air and perked up a bit. "Ramen?"

"Yeah," he pulled a container out and opened it revealing a two beautiful bowls of ramen. Sitting back up, I pulled them over to me. They were a little sloshed from Naruto carrying them, but they still looked good and I was starving. "I brought home another just in case you wanted more, but if you can't eat it can I have it?"

"You just wanted to have dinner with me," I gave him a knowing look and shoved the second bowl over to him. "Eat up, Nii-chan."

"Yoshi!" he cheered and dug in.

I myself was having trouble eating with as much vigor. I stared down into the bowl as I picked pieces out and munched on the food slowly. My thoughts kept returning to Sakura's mother. Steam continued to roll off the dish onto my face and for some reason that abandoned me, I realized I was depressed about it. But, why should I be upset? After all, every civilian acted with the same reaction once they knew who we are. It should have been expected.

I felt the misplaced taste of salt in my mouth and refocused on eating. Slurping the noodles I felt a choke escape me and I swallowed setting my chopsticks down. Frantically, I wiped my face realizing I was crying and I became angry at myself for my reaction. Why was I crying? Why was I so upset? Why should I feel sadness on something that I knew was going to…

I let out a small unwanted wail as I stared down into the bowl of ramen. No. I hadn't expected the mother's glare at all, especially after Sakura had been so nice. I had started to adjust to that sense of acceptance exuded by Inoichi-sensei and Ino. How could I have started to forget not everyone is like them?

"Ne, Hoshi-chan?" I heard Naruto's hesitance and I turned to him. "Does the ramen taste bad or something? If you want you can trade bowls with me."

My lip trembled and I started blubbering out shaky apologies. How could I forget that Naruto had to deal with this every day? He went to the academy and people like Iruka or Sakura's mom must be everywhere. I had gotten too used to escaping all the bad looks through remaining home or only going into town to visit the Yamanaka's.

In fact, Naruto had always found a way to keep me from going out with him too. He'd grab groceries on the way home so I wouldn't have to go shopping. He'd turn off the alarm so I wouldn't wake up otherwise I would try and walk with him to school—in which he would also always manage to coerce me to stay behind! I had to start making his bento the day before because of this. Whenever I did go out, he insisted he go with me like earlier when I was going to visit Ino. There were so many times I could recall now that I hadn't given a second thought about before. He's been trying to protect me…and I didn't recognize it until now.

"Hey, it's okay," Naruto wrapped me into a hug. "I don't know what you're saying sorry for, but it's okay."

"Y-you," I sniveled. "I'm going to be the one p-protecting _you_ now on, alright?"

Naruto hummed out a small maybe and rested his chin on my head alerting me that he had another growth spurt. After forcing myself to stop crying, I wiped my eyes and grinned up at up him, "You've gotten taller, Nii-chan!"

"You're just short," he teased.

"I'm not short!" I elbowed him and picked my chopsticks back up to eat. He just laughed and moved back over to his seat slurping up the rest of his ramen. On impulse, I yanked out a fishcake from his ramen bowl with my chopsticks and ate it.

The next few minutes became a game of who could steal the most food from the other's bowl. I won.

* * *

I remained quiet next to Naruto as we walked into the classroom the next morning. Tugging my hat nervously, I shuffled behind him hoping not to be spotted by anyone. I wasn't completely successful in remaining unnoticed, of course. A few students who weren't talking or distracted noticed me and eyed me curiously probably recognizing me from yesterday.

There was a dark haired boy who saw me come in and then outwardly glared, or sort of glared, at Naruto for no reason before turning back towards the window. Naruto, not noticing this, ran to a seat in the back and waved me to him. I walked up the steps slowly.

Ino noticed me next and I put a finger to my mouth in hope she wouldn't yell out my name and draw attention. She smiled and nodded as I passed her on the way up the steps. Sakura was sitting next to her reading a textbook. I flicked her pink hair and she jumped turning towards me. Her eyes widened and she abruptly turned back to her textbook. Confused at this, I gave Ino a questioning look, but she shrugged apparently not knowing why either.

In the following row there was a half asleep boy. He opened his eyes as I passed, looked at me, then went back to sleep without a word. I huffed and shook my head at this. Sitting myself into the last row next to Naruto, the last person to notice me was a Hyuga. Her lineage was obvious with her pale eyes, but I was surprised by her short hair. I had known Hyugas to have a tendency to grow their hair out. Even the boys did it. The Hyuga girl blushed a bit when she realized I had noticed her looking our way and turned away.

Not a moment later, the door slid open again and a brown haired young man with a thin scar across his nose walked in. Iruka-sensei held a small stack of papers with one particular blue sheet on top that I recognized to be my early admission scroll. The man scanned the room until his eyes fell on me. Upon seeing me, an apprehensive smile spread across his face, "You must be Hoshi-kun, correct?"

All the students fell quiet and turned to where I was while I just stared at the sensei blankly. Did I just hear that right? Hoshi-_kun_? He just mistook me for a guy, didn't he? Or maybe the gender on the application form was mis-circled? No, that couldn't have happened. Ojii-chan is careful about filling things like that out. "Yes, that's me," I nodded slowly unsure if I should correct him about my gender or not.

Iruka waved me forward, "Would you mind introducing yourself?"

Looking around the room nervously, I felt inclined to say that I did mind, but I felt a small nudge from Naruto and I turned to see him giving me a reassuring smile. Seeing this, I calmed a bit and mouthed _thank you_ back to him before I got up and headed down the steps.

I heard a small cough from Ino as I passed. She subtly pointed to her head and then referenced to me. I raised a brow then realized she was referring to my beanie and recalled her telling me not to wear it if I joined her class. "_You have got to kidding me," _I mumbled inaudibly. I shook my head at her refusing to take it off and walked the rest of the way to the front. When I faced the class, I saw that Ino had her cheeks puffed out in a pout.

"My name is Uzumaki Hoshi. Nice to meet you," I bowed and guess what happened? My hat fell off. I immediately heard a victorious laugh from Ino. Picking up my hat from the floor, I stood back up as my hair tumbled. I narrowed my eyes at everyone in the room daring them to say anything before I said, "By the way sensei, I'm a girl."

He sputterd out a sorry as I plopped my hat back on and trudged back to my seat. Setting myself back down next to Naruto, the class chattered quietly until Iruka-sensei cleared his throat and said, "Hoshi-_chan_ will be joining our class from now on. Now that this is settled, I'd like to announce that we will be having our lesson outside today. So everyone please follow me!"

* * *

**And so the academy days begin! I'd also like to thank cOoKiEcRiSp556 for the fanart! :)  
**


	32. Chapter 31

We all shuffled out of the classroom quickly, many with happy whoops in the process. However, the matter of simply walking through the hall with everyone taught me something. "I'm short," I grumbled standing on my tiptoes to try and gain height, but I was still about a head shorter than the rest of the students. "Why am I so short?!"

"Don't think about it too much," Naruto said from beside me. "You're a year younger than us so it's normal."

"But, I don't wanna be short," I huffed only to stumble and face plant earning me a few laughs. Getting back up, I grabbed Naruto's hand embarrassed and he started leading me through the large group of students and towards where Ino and Sakura were.

Both were flanking a raven haired boy along with many other girls. I recognized him to be the boy that glared at Naruto upon entering the classroom and I instantly grew slight disdain towards him, but pushed it aside. I didn't want to judge without getting to know him. Although, from what I could see, he had a slight frown set on his face as he pointedly looked away from any girl trying to talk with him. Interested in who he is, I pointed at the boy and I asked out loud, "Who's he?"

Immediately, I heard a groan from Naruto as another boy that was next to me mumbled, "Not another one." Raising a brow, I turned to the boy with a questioning looked and he answered, "That's Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

_He sat on the step, hands folded under his chin as he gazed forward. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate and there aren't a lot of things that I like," he said in a dark tone. "Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention of leaving as just a dream. The revival of my clan and to…kill a certain man."_

_Click._

_The T.V. abruptly shut off so I looked to the connected laptop instead only to have that shut closed as well. Knocked out of my absorption, I looked up to a very peeved Bradly. "Did I say you could watch the next episode without me?"_

_I shook my head._

_"No, I did not. Did I say you could come in my room and mess with my laptop?"_

_I shrunk into myself and shook my head again._

_"No, I did not! Last question: Did you…like the new characters thus far?"_

_My head shot up and Bradly began laughing as he turned and opened the laptop again. Eyes wide, I realized he was just messing with me and I whacked his arm. "You're so mean," I complained as he sat down next to me and started the episode over from the beginning._

* * *

My breath hitched. Wow, I hadn't had one of those in a while. Usually they were just blocks of information like math or cooking lately.

"You like him too, don't you?!" Naruto interrupted my thoughts with his panic. "Please, tell me it's not true!"

I blinked up at him confused and realized I had been staring at raven haired boy the whole time. "Why would I like him? I don't even know him," I stated.

"Finally, a girl with some sense," the boy who had been walking next to us exclaimed. He had these weird red triangles under his eyes and a wild look to him. I stared at his face wondering if the red triangles were paint. They looked like part of his skin though. Curiosity won me over and I poked his left cheek with my pointer finger. "H-hey!" the boy backed up. "Cut that out!"

I pulled back realizing that the supposed paint had felt just like skin. "Huh, that's kind of cool," I mumbled before giving an apologetic smile to the boy. "Sorry, I just wanted to know if the red triangles were real or not."

"Of course they're real!" he yelled. "And they're fangs not triangles!"

Naruto laughed from beside me, "They look like triangles to me!"

"I said they're not—"

"And who are you?" I interrupted them not wanting to have caused a fight through my mess up.

He grinned down at me, "Inuzuka Kiba of the Inuzuka Clan!"

"Nice to meet you," I smiled. "I'm Uzumaki Hoshi. Naruto and I are from the Uzumaki Clan."

"Uzumaki Clan?" Kiba gave me a questioning look. "That isn't a clan. That's just a family name."

I frowned and looked down. "It is a clan," I moped.

"I recall my mom talking about an old Uzumaki friend of hers with dad once," another boy who had his hair pulled up into a short spiky ponytail walked over hands in his pockets. "It could be a clan."

"It _is_ a clan! No one remembers it though," I growled and began to rant. "We even had our own village once and we were really strong! It took three other main villages to even break through our defenses! But then—"

"Sounds fishy to me," Kiba cut me off.

I glared at him and Naruto added in, "Our clan symbol is on every flak jacket you see. Just look at Iruka-sensei's."

The other boy spoke up again, "The red swirl?"

"Un! That's our clan symbol. Konoha's first Hokage was married to an Uzumaki so Konohagakure and the Uzushiogakure had good relations," I explained.

Kiba covered his ears and groaned, "No more history lessons."

I puffed my cheeks. "Forget it! I was done talking to you anyway," I turned away from him and regarded the newcomer excitedly, "So you said your parents had a friend who was an Uzumaki?"

"I could have heard them wrong since I wasn't paying much attention," he drawled.

I grinned towards Naruto, _"That could have been your mom!"_

_"Yeah," _he breathed seeming to go off into a daze.

I left him to his thoughts and turned back to the other kid, "So, what's your name?"

"I'm Shikamaru, from the Nara Clan," he gave a side smile then nodded to another walking next to him.

The boy stepped forward hesitantly before declaring, "Choji, from the Akimichi Clan, Akimichi Choji!"

I grinned at them both, "Nice to meet you!"

Choji blushed and smiled back, "You too!"

I stared over at him and pointed to the swirls on his cheeks, "Are they real like Kiba's or paint?"

"They're real," he replied rubbing his cheek.

"Cool!" I exclaimed and then accidentally tripped again.

Naruto helped me back up, "Stop trying to walk on your toes."

"Fine," I grumbled losing the small amount of extra height I had gained from toe walking.

"You're so short," Kiba laughed and pat my head harshly. Shoving his hand away, I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I'm guessing you're both related," Shikamaru said to Naruto with an inquisitive look. "It's rare to have two family members in the same class."

Choji leaned forward and glanced at both of us, "Are you twins?"

"Them? Twins?" Kiba pointed at us with disbelief in his voice. "They look nothing alike! She's so short and do you see their hair colors?"

I flushed and started tucking my hair back into my hat when Choji supplied, "I think they look the similar! Their eyes and facial structure look the same!"

"They'd be fraternal twins since they are different genders," Shikamaru pointed out, "and fraternal twins don't always look the same."

"But if they're twins, how come she wasn't in our class until now?" Kiba countered.

Naruto and I looked over at each other as they bickered over our possible relation. I shook my head amused and Naruto spoke up answering, "She's my imouto."

"And I wasn't allowed to join the academy last year since I was only four," I added.

"That'd mean you're a year younger than us now," Shikamaru said. "You're not allowed to join the academy until you turn six."

"I joined when I was five too," Naruto said proudly.

"Then you failed the class," Kiba gibed obviously looking for a fight, "and you're still the dobe of the class."

"What did you say?!" Naruto shouted about to tackle him only to be held back by me.

"Don't let him get to you, Nii-chan!" I yelled. "He's just trying to taunt you!"

He shrugged me off and crossed his arms looking away from Kiba. "He's just jealous because we were able to join the academy early anyway," Naruto grinned at me.

"What the—who said I was jealous?!" Kiba roared and both he and Naruto broke out arguing.

"Troublesome," I heard Shikamaru mutter. "They're at it again."

"Do they always do this?" I asked.

"Only once a day if we're lucky," he replied. "Ten times if we're not."

I laughed and realized we were going upstairs instead of down. "Ne, why are we going up? Shouldn't we be going outside?"

"Oh yeah, you're new so you wouldn't know," Shikamaru said.

Choji pointed to an open door that everyone was going out of. "They have a platform on the third floor that heads outside. We call it The Jump because we have to jump off of it to get used to the height and landing," he explained as we all walked outside onto the platform itself.

"Most of us still jump half-way down to the second roof and then to the ground since it's too far for us right now. Only two have started the taking whole jump," Shikamaru continued only to get shoved by a girl passing us.

Sudden squeals erupted from the front of the group and I turned to see the first kid to jump was Sasuke who went all the way to the ground with ease. "Doesn't look that hard," I said to the boys as I peeked over the edge. "You just run and jump, right?"

Shikamaru shook his head, "I wouldn't do it yet. You have to channel chakra to your legs to—hey, wait!"

I ran past everyone and propelled myself off of the platform. For a short second, I relished in the feeling of the air around me before I started to descend. Immediately, I channeled chakra to strengthen my limbs and pushed it around me causing slight air resistance which slowed my fall greatly. I landed next to the Uchiha with a silent thud. Grinning, I turned to him, "That was kind of fun!"

He glanced at me with a slight appraising look, "Hn."

Looking up at the platform, everyone was staring over the edge wide eyed and I blushed realizing I had just done that on impulse. A small flash of yellow and orange took my vision and I smiled as Naruto jumped and landed next to me on all fours. "Ow," he grunted while standing back up. "That hurt a bit."

"You haven't been practicing anything but katas lately," I chastised him. "You need to work on your chakra control before your chakra coils get too big to control again!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll work on it later, but did you see me? I did awesome 'ttebayo!"

I gave him a smile as others began to join us on the ground by jumping onto the shorter roof first. Ino rushed over to me with Sakura not far behind after they landed. "Hoshi! Why didn't you ever tell me you had such good chakra control? Only Sasuke or Hinata have ever been able to do The Jump. You have to teach me how!" she said excitedly.

I flushed at the praise and tried to redirect it. "Nii-chan did The Jump too, you know," I said turning to him only to see him blushing while looking at Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, did you see me?" Naruto asked. "I did The Jump!"

Sakura herself kept looking away from the both of us and hid behind Ino. "You both did really good," she whispered then looked over at Sasuke and blurted loudly, "You too, Sasuke-kun!"

"Ah, that's right!" Ino smiled and rushed over to Sasuke. "Good job as always."

"As if I would have trouble with something so simple," he stated walking away. "Don't make a big deal over nothing."

Sakura wilted at this and Ino gave a small pout before they both went to follow Iruka-sensei who had just joined with the last of the class.

However, I raised a brow at what Sasuke said not liking how he was disregarding Sakura and Ino. Running forward, I grabbed his shoulder to get his attention and said, "If it was simple then most of the class wouldn't still be having trouble over it. Don't demean their praise for your accomplishment. Thank them or else you may come off as conceited."

He stopped mid-step before brushing my hand of his shoulder with a glare, "I never asked your opinion."

"It wasn't really meant to be an opinion. Only advice," I shrugged and smiled at him. Pleased with what I had told him, I spun away looking for the boys Naruto and I were talking to before. I spotted them all turning the corner of the building and rushed over to them. "Hey, guys! Wait up!"

"Weren't you talking with your precious Sasuke-kun?" Naruto muttered looking down. "I thought you wouldn't be like the rest of the class."

"Like the rest of the class?" I asked completely lost. "What are you talking about? I already said I don't even know him."

"All the girls started following after Sasuke last month after he showed he was able to pull off The Jump," Shikamaru droned.

"Even the shy girls have been starting to follow him around," Kiba walked backwards while talking to us.

"Really?" I said. "He seems a bit conceited to me."

"So you don't like him?!" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Well, so far all I have gotten from him was a glare so not really," I thought about it. "But, I guess if I got to know him, maybe. You all seem nicer though."

They blinked at me for a moment before muttering thanks. Naruto grinned and slung his arm over my shoulder, "That's my sister."

I rolled my eyes and smiled up at him. "You don't like Sasuke, I'm guessing?"

"He's always showing off and now Sakura-chan won't talk to me!" Naruto complained.

I was about to reply when the loud voice of Iruka-sensei echoed over the clearing drawing everyone's attention. All of us scampered around him and I followed behind Naruto to stand near the building. "Okay then…since I'm still learning all of your names and Hoshi-chan here is new, I decided that along with self-introductions that I want each of you to demonstrate your current ninjutsu skill!"

My eyes widened and immediately complaints were heard around the circle of students. Iruka simply laughed and calmed us down by saying, "You're not going to be graded. This is just so I can assess how to proceed with our lessons. So, we'll do a basic jutsu, the clone jutsu. Um," he looked down at his clipboard before smiling over at the Uchiha we had just been chatting about, "first up is Uchiha Sasuke. Go ahead and try it!"

Abrupt squealing occurred and I looked around surprised at the majority of the girls cheering him on, including Ino and Sakura. Said boy simply walked forward with a smirk, "Clone jutsu is child's play."

Naruto boiled angrily next to me probably remembering all the hard hours we had spent trying to get him to pull that jutsu off. "Why do you always act so smug dattebayo!?" he pointed with a yell.

Sasuke glanced over at him, "Shut up, idiot," and was followed by many outcalls of complaints towards Naruto.

"Don't interrupt Sasuke's focus!" Sakura yelled much to my shock.

Ino stepped forward apparently about to add, but abruptly glanced at me and closed her mouth with an apologetic expression. I gave her a small smile knowing she didn't say anything because Naruto's my brother, but looked sadly around at the group. Did this always happen? It made me not really like the females of the class…

Iruka cleared his throat and the girls quieted down. "Okay, Sasuke. Try it," he nodded down to the Uchiha.

After a somewhat quick set of hand signs, he called out the jutsu name and two poofs engulfed the clearing for a second before they cleared away and a copy of Sasuke was revealed. Confused at the extra poof, I flashed my chakra sense and immediately looked up to a nearby tree where the original Sasuke was sitting in a branch. He glanced down at me with a flash of surprise on his face.

"Amazing! That was a perfect clone jutsu!" Sakura's voice caused me to look over to her.

I couldn't help but nod in agreement on the amazing comment. It _was_ quite good. He made two clones and substituted into a nearby tree without getting noticed by anyone, you know, other than me. It was impressive; I'd give him that.

I flashed my chakra sense and checked out everyone's chakra levels to see that most of them probably wouldn't be able to create one clone if any at all yet. In fact, their levels were quite small spare a few exceptions. Ino was one with higher chakra as well as the boys who I had been talking to earlier. The Hyuga girl and this other guy had a good amount as well. He had some weird chakra though, like he had a ton of baby chakra pebbles in him. I looked over at the kid to see he had his eyes covered up by shades and was wearing a thick coat of sorts that covered the bottom of his face. Flashing the chakra sense again, I realized they were all bugs. He must be from a clan.

No one had a higher level of chakra than Naruto and I though, not even Iruka-sensei which was kind of sad but true for many shinobi I've passed. We just naturally had larger reserves, Naruto even more so because of his tummy resident. Even stranger than all of this was that I sensed Jii-chan standing around the corner of the building and not in his office like he normally is this time of day.

"I can't tell which one is real!" Sakura continued breaking my thoughts.

Naruto didn't seem to like this and jumped forward. "It's so obvious to me!" he declared going to kick one of the clones. "It's this one!"

I face palmed as it poofed out of existence. The second clone jumped back with a blank face and stated, "Wrong."

"H-huh?!" Naruto looked confused then growled at the last clone looking like he was about to murder it.

"Hey!" Sakura panicked seeing this. "That's the real one!"

Naruto charged forward as Ino yelled, "What are you doing?!"

Amused by their worry since I knew it was just another clone, but not wanting Nii-chan to mess up again, I went to pull him back, but he had already jump kicked the other clone. It poofed and Naruto fell from the loss of balance.

"Wrong again," Sasuke said from up in the tree drawing everyone's attention as he jumped down. I watched as the girls blushed in awe. Many others were outwardly surprised as well.

"Amazing," Iruka breathed impressed and explained to us, "Two clones in one instant while the real one moved elsewhere."

Leaning against the wall, I nodded in agreement to his explanation, but I was unimpressed that Iruka-sensei hadn't noticed the trick until Sasuke revealed himself. There were other ways to distinguish between the real one and the clone. The most obvious would be that clones don't have a shadow. Iruka-sensei had to be a chunin or a jonin since he has a flak jacket so he should have noticed and not have been as surprised as the rest of the class. Then again, it was still early in the day and the shadow of the building covered the area we were in. I guess he could have missed it and I doubt he was paying attention for that.

"Humph! I can do the clone jutsu too!" Naruto jumped back up and ran through a hand sign resulting in a poof next to him. I stared in shock at the singular defected creep-clone that he used to always make now laying on the ground. "W-what the heck?!" he screamed pointing down at the thing before it dispersed. "I did the jutsu just fine before!"

The students burst into laughter pointing towards him and I scrunched up my eyebrows as Naruto looked down mortified. "This guy is such an idiot!" the boy next to me laughed out earning a pat on the back from one of his friends. I subtly stuffed a stink bomb into his back pocket. Next time he sat down he wouldn't be so happy.

Sasuke walked over to Naruto and muttered, "I don't know what your problem is, but quit lunging at me."

"He's right," the boy with the bugs in his chakra added. "I say this because every time you do something, you hold up our lesson. And that is an annoyance."

My eyebrow twitched, but I wasn't the only one. I took notice of the Hyuga girl who stood next to the boy and was currently giving him a nice solid glare. Note to self: learn her name.

"What?!" Naruto growled turning around looking for who said that.

The boy who I fixed a stink bomb on grinned and jeered, "Yeah, you're an annoyance! You're a germ for just being alive!"

Okay, that went too far. I narrowed my eyes pissed off at him as his glasses friend leaned forward. "That's mean, Hibachi," he crossed his arms and then grinned to Naruto. "But he's right!"

"What was that?!" Naruto yelled pouncing forward only to be blocked by Iruka-sensei. However, he did not block _me_.

I tackled that glasses kid, knee aimed to the groin as we fell to the ground. He cried in pain from the impact and I felt his friend yank me off only to have my fist bash into his nose. Hearing a lovely crack, I screamed to him, "Like you have room to talk! You don't even have enough chakra to do the technique at all!"

He clutched his bleeding nose and looked down at me frightened. In the corner of my eye, Iruka went to pull me away, but I evaded his hand. I mentally thanked whoever placed the airbending scroll into my seal as I glowered at the kids around me. "In fact, almost all of you don't have enough chakra to perform a clone jutsu whatsoever yet! At least Nii-chan made something! I bet half of you couldn't even do that!" I defended and watched as many stepped back and looked down uncomfortably.

"That is enough, Hoshi!" Iruka's voice demanded. "I want you to return to the class room right now where you will remain for the rest of the day!"

I turned and stared at the sensei in indignation. "No!" I yelled. "They deserved it! Who calls someone a germ and an annoyance just because they messed up? We all make mistakes! It's a part of learning!"

"I told you to go to the classroom!" Iruka stepped forward.

"It's not as if I really hurt them!" I waved my arm in reference to the two boys. "The first will get over it after a few minutes and the second can just go to the hospital to mend the bone or cartilage easily. If they can't handle some pain then they can't handle being a ninja!"

"Hoshi, I think you should just listen to sensei," Naruto suddenly whispered apprehensively. "It's alright already."

I faltered in my argument, "But…"

The first brat Hibachi took this moment to yell, "You're new so you don't know anything, you dumb midget!"

"Who the hell are you calling a midget?!" I screamed turning back around only to see the kid staring at me in complete in utter fear. That's when I noticed something in my upper vision. A blue chain of solidifying chakra with a sharp blade on its tip was poised above my head directly aimed at Hibachi. My eyes widened and I jumped backwards in fear only to realize the chain was coming from me. "What is this?!" I panicked.

"Hoshi put whatever that is away," Iruka commanded from behind me. "Or I will be forced to stop you."

I turned scared to Iruka-sensei to see him pulling out a kunai. At the same time, Naruto burst forward protectively in front of me. Tears pooled in my eyes from the sudden stressful situation just as a familiar voice bellowed, "That's enough!"

Everyone froze and turned their sights to an exasperated Hokage.

* * *

**Extra long chapter! I hope you all like it and please review! I love reviews! :D**


	33. Chapter 32

"Iruka, put that away," the Hokage referred to the kunai sensei held. "There is no need for that."

"Sandaime! I-I did not expect to see you here!" Iruka exclaimed immediately putting his kunai away.

"Yes, well," he started walking towards Naruto and I, "I had a break in paperwork and thought I'd stop by the academy." Jii-chan patted Naruto's head affectionately as he passed and then knelt in front of me. I blinked tears out of my eyes and seeing this, he wrapped me into a hug. "Oh, Hoshi. You're both quite protective of each other, aren't you?"

Jii-chan's presence caused a sudden sense of relief to overwhelm me and I relaxed my shoulders hugging him back. A small pop was heard and I looked back up to see the chain burst and drizzle down my blue chakra. As some chakra droplets came down on me, I stared fascinated as they reabsorbed themselves into my skin. Some even landed on Jii-chan and absorbed into his skin as well. The rest simply fell to the ground and dissipated. Eyes wide at this, I looked up at Jii-chan and asked worriedly, "Am I in trouble?"

"No," he pulled away with a smile. "In fact, I believe congratulations would be in order!"

"Huh? Jiji, what are you talking about?" Naruto cut in loudly.

"Congratulations?" I tilted my head. Did I seriously just get praised for punching Hibachi and kicking his glasses friend in the nuts? "I thought I'd be in trouble."

He chuckled. "Why would you be in trouble for something you can't control? Hoshi-chan, you've just awakened your kekkei genkai," Jii-chan clarified while getting back up turning to Iruka.

Loud chatting broke out in the circle of onlooking students, but I just looked to Naruto and whispered, "What's a kekkei genkai?"

_Bloodline limit. Genetic traits._

Naruto shrugged just as confused as I was, "I dunno. Although, whatever that chain was_, it wasn't coming from your seal._ He's probably talking about that."

The Hokage began talking with Iruka-sensei away from our hearing. Iruka seemed very surprised about whatever they were talking about and quickly nodded only to walk over to us. After a slight hesitation, he knelt in front of us and took a deep breath before he requested, "No more fighting, okay? I can't have either of you attacking other students."

Naruto humphed crossing his arms and I simply replied with a request of my own, "Next time, can you give us a lesson that almost everyone is ready to do? Right now, most cannot do the clone jutsu so try giving us chakra exercises. Not only would we increase our chakra reserves, but we'd strengthen our chakra control for performing the jutsus we'll end up using as well."

Iruka blinked at my detailed suggestion and scratched the back of his head, "I'll be sure to do that?"

"And I give no promises to your previous request," I added bluntly.

Iruka-sensei sighed, "Wait until we get to sparring sessions next year if you can, especially you Naruto."

"Did you just give us an excuse to beat them up a year from now?" Naruto asked excitedly with a grin.

Sensei's eyes widened, "I never said that!"

"Sounded like that to me!" I giggled.

"Ah, Iruka," the Hokage interrupted us and sensei stood back up. "Would you mind terribly if I borrow Naruto and Hoshi for the morning? I'll be sure to bring them back after lunch."

"Yes—I mean no! I don't mind!" Iruka gave both Naruto and I a gentle push towards the Hokage.

Jii-chan glanced at the two brats I had attacked that were still over on the edge of the clearing. Glasses friend seemed to have recovered and was helping Hibachi with his broken nose. A few students had gathered around them, some laughing and others trying to help as well. "I believe Hibachi is in need of some medical treatment."

"Of course, Hokage-sama! I'll take him to the hospital," Iruka replied then considered the rest of the class who still were chatting and yelled out, "Everyone, this has just become a free period! Please use this time productively and return to class after lunch!"

The Hokage waved this off. "There is no need for that. I can take care of this," he said as he walked over breaking through the circle of students before kneeling in front of Hibachi who was clutching his nose. Running over, I shoved through the other kids and watched as Jii-chan's hand became surrounded by blue chakra and after a moment turned green. Placing it over-top of Hibachi's nose, I was amazed when his hand eventually pulled away and the nose was completely healed.

Hibachi rubbed his nose with his face down before mumbling a thank you towards the Hokage. I was oddly satisfied to see him completely flushed in embarrassment, but was too interested in how his nose had just been healed to enjoy the moment of victory. I mean, I knew that once you went to the hospital that they had some miracle heal that could mend broken bones or close wounds; I just didn't know how. So, curious for answers, I walked over and asked, "How did you do that?"

"You could say that one of my old students was very…insistent that I know basic medical ninjutsu," the Hokage stood and eyed me with a side smile as we walked back over to Naruto. "You should recognize her by the title Nee-chan."

"Tsunade-nee was your student?" I gawked. "But you're too old to be her sensei!"

"I recall you said something like that to me before," he gave me a reproving expression. "Something along the lines of me being too old to be the Hokage?"

"I did?" I blushed as I heard Naruto laugh clearly remembering the apparent conversation. "I'm sorry, Jii-chan!"

"It is in the past," he sighed before pulling out his pipe and lighting it. "Are you both ready to go? We have much to talk about."

"Un," I smiled following as he walked ahead. The other students stared at us whispering when we began to leave, but abruptly paid attention to sensei instead since he began to give directions for something along the lines of chakra exercises.

"Can we go to Ichiraku's?" Naruto asked excitedly once we left the academy grounds.

My eyes brightened at the thought, "Yeah! Can we?"

"Didn't you go to Ichiraku's after visiting me yesterday?" the Hokage asked Naruto with a raised brow.

"Yeah, but it's the best! So, are we going? Are we going?" Naruto tugged Jii-chan's arm in the direction of the restaurant and I grabbed the other arm joining in the tugging.

"I suppose we can go," he gave in.

"Yatta!" we cheered and ran ahead.

* * *

Naruto burst into Ichiraku's with me only a second behind. Teuchi who was behind the counter was startled and jumped, but quickly grinned at the two of us. "Well if it isn't Naruto and Hoshi! I haven't seen you in a while young lady. And Naruto, are you skipping class again?"

"Actually, he has a perfect excuse not to be in class today," Jii-chan pushed a cloth aside to walk in.

"Hokage-sama, what a nice surprise!" Teuchi grinned. "So what can I get for you all?"

"Miso!" Naruto immediately called and then looked over to me. I nodded. "Make that two!"

"I suppose I'll have the same," the Hokage decided.

"Alright! Three miso ramen coming right up! The shop just opened so the water's still heating up, but I'll have it right out in a few," Teuchi waved as he walked into the back.

"So what'd you want to talk to us about, Jiji?" Naruto turned and asked.

"And what's a kekkei genkai?" I questioned. "Is it that chain that came out of my back? It was weird and made of my chakra."

"Well, this is actually what I wanted to talk to you both about," Jii-chan said. "A kekkei genkai is a jutsu or technique only available through inheritance in blood."

"Uh," I gave a blank face. "So my blood is a jutsu?"

"I don't get it," Naruto rested his chin on the palm of his hand.

"How about I put it this way," the Hokage looked up in thought. "Kekkei genkai is a general term for a jutsu only a single family can perform due to it being passed down by their family."

"So it's like the Yamanaka mind techniques?" I asked.

"No. Although that is a close guess. Those are hiden techniques that are taught to each of the family members through specialized training. The Yamanaka mind jutsus, as well as other hiden techniques of other clans, are technically capable of being used and taught to others outside their clan. Most clans tend to keep these techniques secret, but the some don't. The Yamanaka clan is such a case, but they are quite masterful at their jutsus compared to those outside the clan that have attempted them."

"So what's a kekkei genkai then?" Naruto asked.

"A technique or ability passed down genetically or through blood relation. It isn't necessarily taught so much as instinctively done," Jii-chan explained. "You recall the Hyuga's eye technique, correct?"

"The Bwakyucan or something," Naruto answered easily. "Of course I remember! They always knew where I ran when they used that."

"It's called the Byakugan and that is a kekkei genkai since no other person outside the clan is capable of using such a technique unless through…other means," he finished with a small cough. "The Uchiha clan's Sharingan is a kekkei genkai as well. These two kekkei genkai have a more specific name since they both revolve around their eyes. They're called dojutsu."

"So I awakened a kekkei genkai?" I asked. "That chakra chain is a kekkei genkai?"

"Yes and no," the Hokage sighed puffing his pipe. "I believe it is a kekkei genkai and others will now know it as a kekkei genkai, but whether or not it is one is questionable. It is a relatively new technique that had started sprouting up in the Uzumaki clan years ago, but only in a small minority of females. It was for this reason that it was never classified as a kekkei genkai."

"So, I can't get it?" Naruto frowned. "Damn my masculinity."

I laughed at this, "You could get it! You never know."

Jii-chan looked down to Naruto. "You mother had been able to use the chains. It was the reason she was here in Konoha actually," he revealed then looked to me. "Her elder sister, your mother, was said to be a user too. So, I am not too surprised the trait appeared in you as well."

"Why was my mom in Konoha?" Naruto asked engrossed in the conversation. "What'd the chains have to do with her being here?"

"That is a story for another day," the Hokage exhaled some smoke and then gave a small smile to us.

"But I wanna know now!" Naruto jumped up just as Teuchi returned from the back carefully balancing three bowls in his arms.

"Here you go!" Teuchi grinned setting the bowls in front of us. "Enjoy!"

All of us grabbed chopsticks and broke them apart. Naruto dug into his bowl after saying a quick itadakimasu while Jii-chan and I ate at a more moderate pace. "Ne, that green chakra is medical ninjutsu, right?" I asked Jii-chan.

He regarded me with a pleased expression, "That's correct! Are you interested in it?"

"Inoichi-sensei said Nee-chan was the best at it," I thought out loud. "Do you think I can learn too?"

"If you want, I can even set you up for lessons at the hospital," the Hokage nodded thoughtfully. "They always are looking for younger kids to join the program, especially those still in the academy. It means they have a longer time to train future medics more thoroughly."

"I've never been to the hospital before," I muttered. "Oh! Did Hound-nii have to go to the hospital?"

"Is he okay?" Naruto chimed in.

"His fever broke this morning," I added, "but he wouldn't wake up."

"He's fine," the Hokage assured us. "I asked a nurse to stop by and she reported that he was simply over-exhausted. Probably from his last mission."

"So he just needs rest," Naruto whispered. "That's good."

"Jii-chan, what were you really doing at the academy?" I changed the topic. "You never leave the office this time of day."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" he smiled over at me. "That chakra sense of yours is quite a gift."

"Don't avoid the question," I puckered.

"It's just as I said to Iruka," Jii-chan held. "I had a break in paperwork and thought I'd visit the academy for a bit."

"Uh huh," I narrowed my eyes and flashed my chakra sense. "Your chakra has lie written all over it."

"Another bowl please!" Naruto called.

A reply of, "On it," was faintly heard from the back.

Jii-chan blinked and chuckled, "So your chakra sense is capable of such things too! Well then, I came to check on how Iruka was doing with his new class and to see how you were enjoying your first day at the academy."

"Or you were using us as an excuse to get out of some paperwork," Naruto pointed out as his new bowl of ramen was set in front of him.

"Or that too," the Hokage said guiltily. "That obvious?"

I smiled and lightly smacked his hand, "Bad, Jii-chan."

Shaking his head, the Hokage turned to Naruto, "So that clone jutsu you did earlier…you said that you did the jutsu just fine before. Care to elaborate?"

Naruto finished a slurp and scratched the back of his neck, "You saw that? I can do better, I promise! I did twenty clones before and was able to bring the amount down to ten after some more practice!"

The Hokage raised his eyebrows, "Twenty you say?"

"Yeah, I just haven't been working on chakra control so I flunked it today, but I bet after a few hours of practice, I'd be fine again!" Naruto defended.

"He can," I verified. "I was there when he did, but his chakra is starting to get too large to control again. That's why he couldn't today."

"Really now?" Jii-chan looked between us as he pushed his finished bowl away. "It seems both of you have been working hard lately."

"Of course!" Naruto sat back having finished his second bowl as well. "I have to take that hat from you one day because I'm going to be the best Hokage ever dattebayo! So I have to practice!"

"You sure will," Jii-chan nodded setting his pipe back between his teeth.

Naruto looked up at him wide eyed. "You really believe that?" he asked hopefully. "You really think I'm going to be the best Hokage?"

"I don't see why not," he replied. "It's not easy though. It involves a lot of paperwork…which I should probably be getting back to."

I snorted and finished my own bowl. "I guess we better get going then," I said. Pulling out my wallet, I was about to pay when Jii-chan covered my hand and placed money on the counter himself. I smiled up at him and hopped off my stool. After a quick goodbye to Teuchi, we all left the restaurant and headed back to the academy where the Hokage was going to drop us off.


End file.
